A New Beginning
by EventHorizon6
Summary: Book 1 of the Sky Sailor Saga When Jim Hawkins is entrusted a map to a legendary trove he sets out on a voyage of discovery, but his adventure is turned upside down when he meets Alice, an orphan girl with a love for books and the stars. While Jim's rebellious personality clashes with Alice's quiet disposition, both of them must find trust in each other as they search for treasure.
1. Beginnings and Boarding Schools

_**Chapter 1**_

_**Beginnings and Boarding Schools**_

A calm breeze swept through the streets, sending a woman's skirt in a flurry and ruffling a man's hair. It continued its quest, carrying a store owner's booming voice as the sound waves eventually dissipated. A tree stretched its limbs in longing as the breeze rustled its leaves and tumbled over its branches taking flight once more as it slipped through an iron wrought fence toward a particularly drab building.

In the end the gust of wind split and parted ways. A portion of it swiveled toward a group of teenagers laughing and conversing, without a care in the world. The other portion of wind meandered toward an open window where a young girl sat with a crease upon her brow.

The tip of a pencil tapped against a flat piece of parchment anxiously awaiting its master's orders. At last the girl set the pencil aside as she stared at her blank paper.

For a moment she wished the bland color would swallow her up and she'd be lost in a world completely devoid of any emotion. She sighed, knowing such a thing could not possibly be.

A small gust of wind slipped through her window rustling her straight, brown hair and sending her paper somersaulting to the other side of the room. She did not get up to retrieve it, however. For a while she sat staring out the window as sunlight trickled in and fell upon her face illuminating her bright green eyes and pursed lips.

Her mind wandered as her gaze fixed itself on the sky. Oh how she longed to take off into the stars and be free from the prison of Haney's Boarding School. She was not sure how long she sat in such a dreamy state only that she was interrupted by a shriek coming from one of the girls on the lawn.

To block out the squeals of laughter, the girl slowly closed her window and was halfway through gathering her papers when a bell echoed in the halls of the school.

The kids outside leapt to their feet, determined to be the first in line for lunch. The brown haired girl, Alice, did not rush off like the others. Her stomach clenched again. She was used to this sort of routine. She had become accustomed to being the last in line: the ever persistent shadow in the background, ever since she had learned to speak.

After she was sure no more kids would be lining up for their lunches, Alice slipped out of her room and headed toward the cafeteria.

She passed other students on the way there, but they took little notice of her. Alice was glad they didn't. She enjoyed turning herself invisible; it meant that she did not have to put up an effort to defend herself from the usual round of insults fired her way.

Indeed, she was not liked by many in her boarding school. Only few seriously bothered her. Others simply gravitated away from her, scared to approach the _freak_.

Though, freak was hardly the word to describe her.

Alice couldn't understand at first what she had done to be labeled a nuisance. From an early age she was quieter than the others, finding it difficult to be open with the kids around her who were much older. As she matured she began to understand the other kids' point of view. Her planet, Hora, had a well-balanced economy of producing textiles and expensive fabrics.

In short Hora was wealthy. Women wore pretty dresses and attended cocktail parties, cooked, cleaned, and nurtured their babies while the men went off to work for a day. It was a very traditional society, one that Alice had never enjoyed. In an attempt to educate teenagers and keep their obnoxious behaviors away from the pristine mansions they called 'homes', parents would send their children to Haney's Boarding School; for Alice the school was her long-term residence.

She had been living at the school since she was a baby but it had never felt truly like home. Alice did not know who were parents were or why she had been mysteriously dropped off on the doorstep of such a prestigious school. Nothing was certain to her except life contained inside the walls of the building.

She became quiet, reserved, and introverted. She kept to herself so as not to attract attention, but it was because of this shy trait that Alice attracted the most attention.

The kids in the school were focused more on rebelling against the uptight society they found themselves in. It became a game to see who could upset the staff members the most and get sent back to their petty lifestyles first. They were boisterous and loud, constantly talking about their family's wealth or simply trying to be as outgoing as they could: the more friends the merrier. It never mattered who they were laughing with, so long as they were laughing with somebody and gathering more attention.

This was exactly why Alice stood out among them. She observed them but was never part of them. Her clothing was simple, her family unknown, her face plain and her hair unadorned.

Alice had no family ties, no rich mother or father sending her to the school for a better upbringing. For all Alice knew, her parents were dead. Mr. Lewis, the dean of the school, had explained to her that they had found her as a baby on the doorstep of the school with a note attached that depicted one word: her name, Alice.

They could not just sit back and do nothing for the abandoned child, so they took her in and nurtured her. All of Alice's memories were of her life at Haney's Boarding School. She was largely sheltered from the world outside its walls. In fact, the universe beyond her planet seemed like something out of a fantasy fiction novel.

As much as she dreamed of freedom, Alice was terrified of taking the first step out the door. Not that she could, of course. She was stuck in the school until she was old enough to begin supporting herself, but even then she believed she'd become the next kitchen maid for them so she'd never leave.

It pained her to think about the true madness of her situation, but she didn't let it linger for long. She kept her mind active by extensive reading which eventually pointed her in the direction of creative writing. At first all of her characters were bland and quite flat, but as time went on they became more attention-grabbing and imaginative as did the power of her mind.

These thoughts rolled around in Alice's head, but she pushed them away as she approached the back of the near empty line and was handed her meal.

She walked over to a vacant table and sat down, tuning in to the chatter of teenagers around her. There were many different groups and ethnicities, some human and some an alien hybrid breed. Alice scanned the crowd silently observing everyone. Her vocal chords went unused through the hour with the exception of being directly addressed by two girls and a boy.

"So I hear you're the quiet one," the boy smirked, sitting down next to her. Alice looked at him but did not speak. It seemed as if she was unable to utter a sound.

"You don't talk much," one of the girls snorted. She had dark black hair and strange pale green skin. Alice shrugged.

"I don't have much to say," she admitted quietly.

"Be loud and proud girl! Stop this boring sulking at least and join our table," the other girl grinned, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder. Alice snuck a peak over at their table. She wrinkled her nose, but kept her mouth tightlipped. The boy groaned and stood up.

"She ain't gonna talk. Come on," he grumbled shooting Alice a look of annoyance as they headed back to their own table. Alice sighed. Surely she'd find a person like her someday, wouldn't she?

Her eyes watered.

Wouldn't she?

* * *

"So you're quiet Alice?" Alice looked up, startled out of the book she had in her lap. It was another lazy afternoon and Alice had retired to the library as she often did on such days.

The girl before her sneered.

"Where are your parents, doll?" Alice took a nervous swallow. She wasn't picked on a lot, but occasionally some student would take an interest in harassing the quiet girl for attention.

"I don't know where my parents are," Alice responded when the girl suddenly snatched the book out of Alice's hands.

"Maybe we should start calling you orphan Alice," the girl snickered. "Penniless, quiet, deranged freak!" she spat. Alice cringed as she wrapped her arms around her as if to protect herself from the insults. "Got any friends? Oh wait, no you don't."

"Please stop," Alice begged.

"Did I actually hear a word come out of you?" the girl gasped in mock surprise. Alice noticed the girl glance at a boy doing his homework across the room when it dawned on her. The girl was seeking attention and approval from the boy.

Alice yelped when the girl pinched her ear and yanked her forward.

"Do you even have ears? Can you even hear what I'm saying?" Alice figured it was best to stay quiet. The boy had looked up at Alice's shriek and was watching the scene in interest. The girl smirked. "You're such a loser." With those final words the girl strutted over toward the boy and immediately began an animated conversation with him while Alice rubbed her ear.

"Alice?" The young girl looked up again in quiet dread, thinking it was the girl coming back to mock her once more. To her surprise, however, it was the librarian Miss Oaks. The woman was old and grey and wore her half-moon spectacles on the bridge of her nose. "The principal would like to see you."

Alice's heart nearly leapt up into her throat. Had she done something wrong? Why did the principal wish to see her? With her heart thundering in her chest, Alice rose to her feet and followed Miss Oaks out of the library and down the halls, up flights of stairs, and through corridors that she had never seen before possibly because it was the teachers' quarters.

At last the two stopped in front of an enormous, wooden walnut door. A gold plaque nailed to the door gave Alice the information she needed.

Principal.

Biting her lip in silent resignation, Alice was pushed into the forbidden room by Miss Oaks.

"I brought Alice, Mr. Haney," Miss Oaks said as she sat Alice down in a seat in front of the glossy desk before them.

Alice bit her lip as a high-backed black chair swiveled around behind the desk so that Alice could look upon her principal fully. She had seen him around on occasion as he talked to kids in the hall and visited classrooms to see how everything was coming along, but Alice had never been so close to him before. In fact, she had truly believed he didn't know she existed until now.

"Thank you, Miss Oaks, you may leave now," Mr. Haney nodded and the librarian left the room leaving the two in silence. For a while Alice observed her principal in the quiet of the office. He was a tall man, who had on a sharp, clean suit. His hair was cropped short, but styled in a perfect shape. There was not one hair out of line. Alice came to the rather hasty conclusion that he was quite the perfectionist and after taking a cursory glance around the precisely ordered room she confirmed her logical guess.

At last the man opened his mouth.

"Something quite recently has been brought to my attention, Alice." The young girl said nothing, too scared to even make eye contact. "In all of your studies here at our delightful school –" (Alice could think of several different words to describe the school, none of them being synonyms of delightful.) "– have you ever heard of a planet called Montressor?"

Alice's brow creased. What was he getting at? After a few moments she swallowed back her original alarm.

"Yes, Sir. Is it the small mining planet nearby?"

"Indeed it is, but perhaps the word mining is too uplifting. It's more of a small wasteland if you ask me." Mr. Haney sniffed as he adjusted his tie. "The people there are quite barbaric. They have not been blessed with an elite society such as ourselves."

Alice did not enjoy planet Hora's culture at all, but it did sound better than the word 'barbaric'.

"Anyway, I have lately received word from one of my old _friends_," Mr. Haney continued, though the contempt was obvious in his voice. Alice had no doubt his friend was more of an acquaintance rarely discussed. "His name is Doctor Delbert Doppler. He lives on the mining planet of Montressor and wastes away his time studying the stars. He's an astrophysicist of course," Mr. Haney added as an afterthought.

"What does Mr. Doppler have to do with me?" Alice asked, tilting her head a bit to the right.

"It has come to my attention that he is funding an expedition to a legendary trove called Treasure Planet." Alice's eyes went wide.

"The Loot of A Thousand Worlds?" she gasped. Alice had been fond of the myth since she was a child and still read the story every now and then.

"Yes. A rumor is afoot that a young man named Jim Hawkins discovered the map. I, of course, refuse to believe that such a map exists and that it landed in Doppler's lap so easily, but nonetheless it is a voyage that has come at a very opportune moment," Mr. Haney sighed, looking at Alice across the desk. "I sent him a letter and after a few days he replied. Tomorrow morning, Alice, you are to take a space ferry to Montressor Spaceport, otherwise known as Crescentia, and meet Doctor Doppler on the pier," he concluded.

Alice's jaw hung open in amazement.

"You're going to send me on a voyage to a legendary planet?" she asked, digesting the words he just spoken.

"Oh tosh, don't be ridiculous. Everyone knows this whole thing is just a fairytale, but yes you are going on the voyage," he replied. Before Alice could speak again, however, he continued. "To be frank, Alice, you do not belong at this school and you do not belong to any of the parents that help support this school. For a while now I have been puzzling over what to do with you. At last I decided that a voyage, however fantastical it may be, is still a chance for you to come to terms with the world beyond this one and to discover yourself."

Alice felt a flood of emotions hit her all at once. Excitement, terror, sadness, and anger. She was excited to finally be able to explore the world she'd always dreamed of. Terrified, because the only things she had ever known were the walls keeping her locked inside Haney's Boarding School. Sadness, because she did not yet belong anywhere, and anger because Mr. Haney seemed to treat her like an inanimate object to be passed around.

For a long time Alice said nothing.

"Will I be expected to know what I'm doing? I've never been on a ship before," she choked out, sorting through her feelings at last. Excitement was the most evident and seemed to wash away her apprehension for a short while.

"You'll probably be handed a rank as cabin boy, or in this case girl. You'll learn along the way," Mr. Haney assured her. Alice nodded in understanding.

"I suppose venturing to a secret treasure trove isn't so bad," she smiled. The reality of her situation was beginning to dawn on Alice. Not only would she finally learn to sail, but she'd be living and breathing a real adventure just like all of the ones in her storybooks!

"Very good. Here is your ticket. Mr. Lewis, the dean, will escort you to the pier at the crack of dawn to catch a ferry to Crescentia, otherwise known as Montressor Spaceport. From there you shall meet Doppler and Hawkins near their own ferry: Montressor Express. They'll escort you to the ship. Be up and ready by then. I suggest taking the rest of the day off to pack, Alice," Mr. Haney concluded, handing Alice a ticket. She took it with a sense of glee and cradled it as though it were a block of gold. Knowing where they were going it probably was.

"Thank you, Sir," Alice said appreciatively as she turned and left the room a sense of happiness she had never experienced before washing over her.

Alice had not slept at all the night before. Dreams of gold, ships, stars, and adventure were coursing through her head as well as the names Doctor Doppler and Jim Hawkins. She was shy and underdeveloped in the matter of making friends. What if they didn't like her and sent her back?

She tried to extinguish these thoughts as she dressed for the day pulling on a pair of tan cargo pants and a light blue long sleeved shirt. Once she had taken care of her personal hygiene she grabbed her knapsack filled with everything she would need for her voyage. She was just pulling the bag over her shoulder when a knock came at her door. Alice eagerly flung it open to see Mr. Lewis.

He was short for a human male with messy blonde hair and yellowing teeth. Upon first glance one might be tempted to stay away from him, but when he smiled it was as if a sunflower had just grown in the middle of the room. Alice liked Mr. Lewis out of all of the faculty members at the school. He seemed to be the only one that had ever given her an old man's attention. Although Alice never saw him as a father figure, it was nice to see his smile once in a while and on rare occasions he'd stop to ask what book she was reading.

"Ready to go?" he smiled. Alice returned the expression and nodded as he led her out of her room and down the halls. They walked past students who looked at them oddly, past other dorms, classrooms, and sitting rooms. At last they reached the main entrance hall, but they did not stop there. Alice followed after Mr. Lewis' short strides as they headed down the stone steps and across the lawn toward the gargantuan black gate and sleek walls surrounding the campus.

Mr. Lewis pulled out a ring of keys and as he was unlocking the gate, addressed the fifteen year old girl beside him.

"I hear you're going on your first voyage to the legendary Treasure Planet," he said. Alice, who had been taking one last look at the campus, came back to her senses.

"I suppose so," she replied, her voice its normal quiet. Mr. Lewis smiled as he unlocked the gate and held it open.

"Well when you come back, Alice, I want to hear the whole story," he chuckled as he led Alice through the gate and pulled it shut behind them. Alice blinked in amazement. She was outside. She was actually free from the prison she'd been stuck in for as long as she could remember. Mr. Lewis didn't let her linger long. He waved her forward, leading her down the cobblestoned streets of the town of North Portmore on Planet Hora.

For a long time, Alice felt completely overwhelmed with the change of scenery. She had never seen so many older people so elegantly dressed, nor such vibrant shops or houses.

But the ships! Oh the ships! They were truly magnificent, with enormous wooden masts stretching high into the sky and sails flapping loose, catching the sunlight to power the solar engines. Even their bows were made of pristine mahogany wood that looked as if they could impale an asteroid if they tried.

The ships weren't the only means of transportation, however. Alice was led over to a small rectangular vehicle made of plated steel with a few portholes for windows to see out of. Alice could spot the engines at the back of the space ferry and on each side were three poles about three feet in length jutting out in order to hold the square cloths of the sails that would catch the sunlight used to power the ferry. The vehicle was painted blue and red with the words: Hora Express elegantly inscribed on the side.

"This is your method of transportation then," Mr. Lewis said.

"Thank-you, Mr. Lewis, for everything," was Alice's sincere response. Mr. Lewis just smiled and gave Alice an awkward pat on the back.

"Go on now," he muttered, waving her forward.

The nervous girl handed the ferry driver her ticket as she boarded. He took it without looking as she continued on down the aisle, finally coming to an empty seat next to a small circular window.

It still felt quite surreal, and Alice pinched herself a few times as the ferry doors closed and they began to rise. The stars seemed to envelope her like a long forgotten friend as the ferry took off into the sky.

If this was a dream it was the most wonderful dream Alice had ever had.

One Alice would soon realize she'd never wake up from.

**A/N: I apologize for all of the confusion with my Sky Sailor Series. As of right now I am in the midst of rewriting the entire first story and editing up all the others! So please read the first book, because (if I do say so myself) it sounds a lot better than it did! Alice and Jim's characters were just…ugh…annoying. I had to start rewriting it. I realized all my characters' emotions were terrible, and I really didn't dive into some relationships as well as I should have. **

**As for my character Alice…let's just say she entered a world of renovation. So now she is sort of remodeled to make more sense and her personality isn't different in every book. **

**Okay cool stuff! So if any of you would review and give me feedback it'd be greatly appreciated, especially if you see something that doesn't make much sense. Cool stuff. A hearty thanks to you all! :D**


	2. To the Spaceport

_**Chapter 2  
**__**  
To the Spaceport**_

Alice could not believe her eyes as she pressed her face against the window and gazed upon the vast star field. For the first time in her life she was not merely observing the sky, she was actually taking part in a living, breathing mass known to all of the galaxy's inhabitants as the _Etherium_.

It was an open vacuum filled with atmosphere. Alice could barely contain her rising excitement and was so focused on the stars that she did not notice a massive shape coming closer and closer until it was blocking her view of the cosmos.

It was a crescent moon glowing white with vibrant life. Alice knew immediately what it was. Montressor Spaceport: the planet's moon. She understood why it was also called Crescentia. The moon was not a full moon giving off an illusion that it was crescent shaped, no; it truly was a crescent moon!

As the ferry drew nearer Alice saw how the buildings seemed to bend with the steep incline of the moon's curve. The stars disappeared as the radiant glow of life coming from the moon's surface seemed to create its own atmosphere.

Alice was mesmerized. She had never seen so many ships in her life! There were large ships, small ships, skinny ships, fat ships, cargo ships, passenger ships, and every ship in between. Some ships were taking off into the galaxy, others were preparing to land after a long voyage. There were crooked houses and many, many shops and vendors. Beside each pier there were tall cranes lifting and stacking heavy barrels and crates on or off of the vessels.

The spaceport also seemed to be made up entirely of metal or man-made substances. There was no indication that it was natural at all which made it all the more fascinating to Alice who couldn't contain her excitement.

In the center point of the moon were two enormous domed buildings with tall stain glass windows and banners on the walls advertising the Intergalactic Administrations Office: Crescentia. The creatures also caught her attention. There were so many different races! She had never seen such a pulsating place with so many divergent groups rushing about.

The ferry flew toward a small metal pier where another ferry had already docked. Alice read the words: Montressor Express engraved on the side. The ferry powered down as the conductor grabbed his microphone.

"Montressor Spaceport," he drawled and opened the doors. Alice's fellow passengers began to file out. Hurriedly, she grabbed her bag and stepped out into the sunlight on the heavily crowded dock. She kept her knapsack close as she attempted to maneuver through the crowd. How was she ever supposed to find Doctor Doppler and Mr. Hawkins if she didn't even know what they looked like?

Her gaze flicked toward the other ferry and she smiled. She could begin her search there, at least.

"Excuse me," Alice muttered as she pushed politely past people. She felt almost claustrophobic with so many people around her when she was used to being alone most of the time. As she pushed past another peculiar looking man, her foot stumbled over someone's leg and she lost her balance.

Just before she hit the ground she felt herself fall against something warm and alive sending her and the other flying.

"Ouch," she groaned, sitting up and realizing who she had knocked over. It was a boy probably as old as Alice. He had brown hair that stopped at an even line near his ears with the rest pulled back into some sort of braided rat tail. His eyes were a captivating cerulean color but seemed to be shaded from his long bangs that had fallen into his face.

All in all the boy looked rather sloppily dressed and heavily guarded. His left ear was pierced with a golden band earring. His body adorned a black coat that seemed far too big for him which gave the illusion that his frame was very scrawny. His pants were a baggy olive green secured around the waist by a loose brown belt that cut off just above his black boots while his shirt was colored earth yellow.

The boy sat up and grabbed his bag, coming to realize who had knocked him over. Alice was terrified. She had no idea how to react in this situation. She was so used to being alone, not having to deal with people, especially boys. She shrunk back as if pulling into an invisible shell.

"Um, hey," the boy cleared his throat. He looked away making Alice flush with embarrassment.

"I'm sorry," she managed to squeak out.

"No problem," the boy shrugged, getting to his feet as Alice got to hers. "Just watch where you're going next time, okay?" he grunted, brushing the dirt off his pants.

"I will," Alice replied. The boy made to move on when Alice called him back. "I was wondering," she began, biting her lip, a habit she had acquired when nervous. "If you knew where I might find two men known as Doctor Doppler and Mr. Hawkins."

The boy froze and turned to face her, his mouth slightly ajar, but before he could answer another voice joined the party.

"Jim! Oh, Jim! Wait for me." Alice and the boy looked up to see a peculiar canine alien coming toward them in the most ridiculous space suit ever. The suit itself looked like it should have been in an antique store. It was a round metal suit with a strange button and plug on the front while an outlet was fixated on the back.

The headpiece wasn't much better. It was a metal globe with a glass piece to see out of. When the dog-like creature pressed a button on the side of his mustard yellow suit the glass piece opened to allow breathing room.

The man took a deep breath of air and Alice, at last, was able to get a good look at him. He had a rather long snout ending in a big brown nose. On the edge of his snout was a pair of fine spectacles that shimmered in the sunlight. Putting a hand on the young lad's shoulder, the canine began again.

"You know I received that letter from my old…_colleague_ Mr. Haney, so our first goal is to find a young girl named Alice," the man smiled, before he suddenly noticed the young girl gaping at him. "Ah, hello there young miss. What can I do for you?" he inquired.

"Are you Doctor Doppler?" Alice asked.

"Indeed I am. Oh! You must be Alice then, am I correct?" the Doctor grinned. Alice enjoyed his mood. He was a very cheerful sort of guy. A little clumsy on the side with a horrible sense of fashion, but not at all someone Alice would avoid.

"Yes," Alice smiled back.

"Excellent! Well as you know I'm Doctor Delbert Doppler and this is Jim Hawkins who discovered the map to Treasure Planet, of course," Doppler boasted. Alice couldn't remember a time she had smiled so much. It shocked her to think Jim Hawkins was just as old as she was. She turned to Jim, expecting the same cheerful mood, but Alice quickly realized she would not receive a similar greeting.

She offered a kind smile.

"Hello, Jim." Jim's mood had seemed to sour the moment he realized she was the girl, Alice. His face was shaded and brooding as he looked at her. Alice had the sense that he was trying to figure her out as if calculating a difficult puzzle. It made her rather self-conscious and her heart sank several inches. He was just like the others kids at her boarding school.

"Hi," he murmured at last and turned away. Alice felt her stomach drop already despising the voyage about to come.

"Well I suppose the three of us should find the ship, eh? Wouldn't want to keep our crew waiting," Doppler smiled, not seeming to notice the stiff exchange as he led the two teenagers through the crowded streets of the spaceport. Alice kept her eyes locked on everything else but the boy beside her.

Their odd trio took a few wrong turns as the Doctor tried to keep up a steady conversation with Jim who didn't appear to be listening at all. Alice found this rather rude but kept quiet as at last Jim suggested stopping for directions. He took the initiative by approaching a rather short, furry alien man holding a ladder up to a window a thin, cream colored robot was attempting to fix.

"Excuse me. Do you know where we might find dock 225?" he asked. The robot stopped in the midst of his repairs and looked down at Jim as Alice came to stand behind him, Doppler taking up the rear.

"Second berth on your right," the robot instructed in a very mechanical voice.

"You can't miss it," the alien man added. Jim gave them a wave.

"Hey thanks," he replied and stepped down a small stairwell leading onto a different street. Alice dodged a woman close by trying to pull her back and offer her a necklace in a stall she had set up for herself.

"It's the suit isn't it?" Delbert finally demanded, seeming fed up with Jim's lack of response as well. Alice saw the boy roll his eyes but remain silent as they headed up the street. "I should never have listened to that pushy two-headed saleswoman," he complained, continuing his rambling as they approached the second dock to their right. The street had opened up a lot more now revealing a wide expanse of a metal pier. "This one said it fit. That one said it was my color. I didn't know what to do! I get so flustered."

Doppler had been so immersed in his own argument, he had failed to notice Jim and Alice sliding to a halt as they laid eyes on their ship for the very first time. The bumbling doctor ran right into the teenagers and pulled back. Jim sent him a glare but it was wiped away when he turned back to face the vessel with a smile on his lips. Alice's eyes bulged, not seeming to notice Jim or Delbert's presence at all.

"Jim, Alice this is our ship!" Delbert exclaimed, lifting a hand to gesture toward the miraculous craft before them. "The RLS Legacy!"

Alice and Jim's eyes widened to the size of saucers as they gaped up at the wooden structure. The Legacy was neither too small nor too big. It was an imperial Heavy Scout, meaning is was leaner than most other vessels, tall with masts almost reaching the skies. The ship, as did every other ship, hovered about 30 feet off the ground as if floating on an invisible current. As Jim, Alice, and Delbert moved below the belly of the ship toward the staircase that led up to the regal vessel, Alice noticed several things.

The first was the color. The ship was a mixture of many beautifully sanded types of wood and along the edge just below the railing was a delicate violet blue. The Legacy's main thrusters were aligned along the perimeter of the lower decks while several additional thrusters were housed in articulating winglets just below the stern of the ship. Alice even noticed the long hatch on the underbelly of the craft.

"Whoa," Jim grinned, staring up at everything as well as the three of them made for the staircase. Alice, who realized she had paused to examine the ship further, scrambled after Delbert and Jim, feeling a sense of elation washing over her. "How cool is this?" Jim asked to no one in particular as at last they stepped up onto the deck of the RLS Legacy. Alice didn't respond. How could she? She had been numbed from head to toe the minute she set eyes on their ship that would take them to the stars and beyond. As she turned back to Jim she noticed him bumping into a large alien accidentally. The alien looked like one big gassy balloon. Alice later realized the word gassy was the perfect way to describe him.

The alien man had ten tentacles on his back and five little trunks for his mouth. He had a pink, fleshy color and wore a brown vest with a black sailor hat.

"Sorry about that I didn't mean –" Jim began but was immediately cut off as the man inflated and deflated making fart noises and snorting air into Jim's face. Alice let out a little giggle as Jim reopened his eyes and blew a strand of his, now untidy, hair out of his face. Delbert, who had snuck up behind the two of them, tapped his lips for a moment as if calculating a confusing equation. At last he smiled and turned to Jim who still looked peeved.

"Allow me to handle this," Doppler said and turned back to the alien as he began to spit, puff up his cheeks and make as many farting noises as he could. Alice and Jim's eyes lit up in amazement as they watched the Doctor go to town. At last he concluded with an armpit fart causing the alien to stop and release several noises as if he were laughing.

It made Alice wonder just what the Doctor had said.

"I'm fluent in Flatula, you two. I took two years of it in high school," Delbert chuckled as he saluted the alien and spit before walking away.

Jim and Alice caught each other's eyes and smiled in amusement before they both realized what they were doing and scrambled after Delbert.

The Doctor had wandered up to another man who looked to be completely made out of rock save for his beady eyes above his square jaw. His frame was well built and stern as he towered over all three of them. He wore a red button up coat with gold fringes on the shoulders. When he spotted Doppler he turned to face him.

"Good morning, Captain!" Delbert greeted. "Everything ship-shape?" The man seemed to smirk as a twinkle entered his eye.

"Ship-shape it is, Sir, but I'm not the Captain. The Captain's aloft!" he called, gesturing to a feline woman high above them. Alice watched in awe as a slender woman in a blue, button up vest and high-heeled black boots ran across the mast, grabbed a rope, and swung down but not before doing an aerial flip and landing on her feet right in front of them. Alice stumbled back while Delbert's glass piece closed on his face. Jim shared a curious look with the Doctor who returned the awed expression.

"Mr. Arrow I've checked this miserable ship from stem to stern and as usual…it's spot on, can you get nothing wrong?" their Captain smiled, strutting up and down in front of Mr. Arrow who stood at attention and saluted.

"You flatter me, Captain," he grinned, embarrassed by the attention as the exotically beautiful cat-like woman with short, red hair smiled and turned to face Delbert. Her pointed ears stood straight up as her sharp, green eyes widened. Delbert looked much the same.

"Ah," she chuckled, tapping her lips with a white-gloved finger. "Doctor Doppler I presume," she began in a heavy accent. Delbert seemed lost for words as he fumbled under his helmet.

"Uh – er – well – yes – I mean –"

"Hello! Can you hear me?" the feline smiled, knocking upon his helmet rudely. Alice tried to hide her snicker. It seemed to her their Captain was messing with the poor Doctor who waved her away in annoyance.

"Yes I can! Stop that banging!" he ordered, attempting to pull off his globe.

"If I may Doctor, this works so much better when it's right way up –" she easily twisted the button on Delbert's suit with the plug attached, "– and plugged in!" she concluded, pulling out the plug and shoving it into an outlet on the back. "Lovely there you go." Alice and Jim both snickered simultaneously.

"If you don't mind, I can manage my own plugging!" Delbert grumbled, finally getting his helmet off revealing long brown hair tied back and a pair of floppy ears. Their Captain wasted no time in introductions after that. She grabbed Delbert's hand and began to shake it.

"I'm Captain Amelia. I've had a few run-ins with the Procyon Armada. Nasty business but I won't bore you with my scars. You've met my first officer Mr. Arrow. Sterling, tough, dependable, honest, brave, and true," she smiled, nodding to Arrow who chuckled.

"Please, Captain," he blushed.

"Oh shut up, Arrow, you know I don't mean a word of it," Amelia joked when Delbert indignantly cleared his throat.

"I hate to interrupt this lovely banter, but may I introduce to you Miss Alice here first?" he inquired, pulling Alice forward. The young girl bit her lip and met Amelia's interested gaze.

"No last name?" their Captain asked.

"No, ma'am," Alice responded with as polite a tone as she could muster.

"What brings you on this voyage, Miss Alice?"

"Mr. Haney, my boarding school principal, sent me here," Alice explained. Amelia nodded as she processed this information before turning to Jim in interest.

"I suppose this is Mr. Hawkins."

"Yes, the boy who found the Treasure map –"

"Doctor, please!" Amelia suddenly growled, grabbing his muzzle in a death grip. Jim and Alice looked around and spotted several of their new crewmates listening in. At Amelia's stern look they growled and returned to their work. "I'd like a word with you in my stateroom," she concluded as she pulled back and led all of them toward the helm and into her stateroom behind the wheel. All three of them and Mr. Arrow shuffled into the nice room while Amelia shut and bolted the door.

Alice looked around the room. It was a nice looking place. The area was spacious with a cabinet against one wall and a map of the galaxy against the other. A globe stood on a golden pedestal beneath the star chart. There were a set of glass windows behind Amelia's mahogany desk also spread out with graphs and rulers.

"Doctor," Amelia began as she walked toward Delbert. "To muse and blabber about a treasure map in front of this particular crew demonstrates a level of ineptitude that borders on the imbecilic, but I mean that in a very caring way," Amelia smirked.

"Imbecilic did you say? Foolishness I would –" Delbert began when he was rudely cut off by their Captain.

"May I see the map please?" she asked, turning toward Jim who looked to Delbert for guidance. Although the canine did not seem pleased to acquiesce to their Captain's demands, he nodded toward Jim who pulled his hand out of his pocket and tossed Amelia the map.

"Here," he grunted. Alice watched it fly through the air in awe as Amelia caught it and held it up to the dim lighting. It was a simple golden ball with bizarre circles and lines etched into the surface. The map was the strangest Alice had ever seen, not that she'd seen many maps, only pictures. Still, how did one operate it?

Amelia seemed to voice her thoughts.

"Fascinating," she mumbled before turning her sharp gaze back on Jim. "Mr. Hawkins," she continued as she walked over to her cabinet and opened it. "In the future you must address me as Captain or ma'am, is that clear?" she asked. Alice snuck a peek toward Jim to see him rolling his eyes toward Amelia's turned back. "Mr. Hawkins?" Amelia growled, emphasizing her point.

Jim did not look at all happy to be addressing their witty Captain as such but he did as he was told.

"Yes, ma'am," he finally responded. Amelia closed and locked the cabinet door.

"That'll do," she said. "I'm pleased at least one of you two has the decency to address me formally." She caught Alice's eye and gave her a tiny smile which Alice returned, glad she had made a good first impression. "Gentlemen, ladies, this map must be kept under lock and key when not in use. And Doctor, again with the greatest possible respect, zip your howling screamer," Amelia snarled in Delbert's face before sinking into the chair behind her desk.

Delbert looked furious.

"Captain I assure you –"

"Let me make this as monosyllabic as possible," Amelia cut him off once more. "I don't much care for this crew _you_ hired. They're – oh how did I describe them, Arrow? I said something rather good this morning before coffee," she smiled, tracing a line on the map with her ruler.

"A ludicrous parcel of driveling galoots, ma'am," Mr. Arrow responded.

"There you go, poetry," Amelia smirked. Alice was beginning to believe their Captain enjoyed rubbing her know-how in people's faces. Delbert did not look pleased to have been told his choice of a crew was a chancy one for in the next moment he had slammed his hands down on Amelia's desk.

"Now see here –!"

"Doctor, I'd love to chat. Tea, cakes, the whole shebang but I've got a ship to launch and you've got your outfit to buff up," she concluded, standing up and clasping her hands behind her back as she addressed her first mate. "Mr. Arrow, please escort these three neophytes down to the galley straight away. Young Alice and Jim will be working for our cook, Mr. Silver."

Alice gave a small sigh of relief. She would be working as cabin girl. That was fine for her so long as she wasn't expected to know anything she didn't know already. Jim, on the other hand, who had been spinning the small globe around looked up in shock.

"Wait what?" he demanded. "The cook?"

**A/N: I'm just going to upload all the chapters I am now so you don't all have to wait. I might delete my other stories too until they're done being edited…I don't know yet. So keep reading if you like the story :D**


	3. Launching a Legacy

_**Chapter 3**_

_**Launching a Legacy**_

"That woman! That feline!" Delbert threw up his hands as Mr. Arrow escorted the three of them below deck. Jim rubbed his face in irritation as Alice followed behind. "Who does she think is working for whom?"

"It's my map and she's got me bussing tables and –!" Jim was cut off when Mr. Arrow put a hand on both Delbert and Jim's shoulders.

"I'll not tolerate a cross word about our Captain," he boomed, giving Jim's shoulder a tight squeeze. "There's no finer officer in this or any galaxy," he said releasing Jim who stumbled forward. The boy's day had turned out to be worse than he had expected. He originally thought Alice was an older girl at least eighteen, but when Delbert had explained to Jim that Alice was fifteen, he hadn't been thrilled.

Jim didn't like girls. It's not that he despised the opposite gender; it was simply that he had never been very good at talking to them. At school it seemed that all they cared about was their petty drama and divvying everybody up into groups based on some kind of pecking order. Jim was at the bottom of the order.

Alice did not seem like the sort of girl that would cruelly insult him, in fact she seemed very nice, but the fact of the matter remained, she was a girl and was certainly not made of the stuff needed for this voyage. Jim was hoping to work with a real crew that understood the legend of Treasure Planet, not struggle with his shyness around girls.

On top of it, he had to hand over _his_ map and be treated like an untrustworthy subordinate by their own Captain!

He sighed as the word 'subordinate' rolled around in his head. It was fitting to his character. Their Captain did have the right to treat him that way since he had no prior knowledge of sailing and before the expedition he had almost been sent to Juvenile Hall.

These thoughts hung around Jim's head like a swarm of angry manta birds before he was suddenly shaken out of his reverie. All of them stopped as a loud whistling reached their ears and the smell of simmering food wafted through the air.

The galley wasn't a pristine kitchen at all. The main room was filled with wooden picnic tables and a small archway connected the stove and ovens with the dining hall. Through the steam of cooking pots, Jim could make out a small circular room ringed with countertops and cupboards and a massive stove in the center.

A large shape moved through the gloomy galley and as Jim squinted he realized it must be the cook.

"Mr. Silver!" Arrow called out. The man moved into the dim lighting, wiping his hands on his apron.

"Why Mr. Arrow, Sir!" the man laughed. Jim's eyes narrowed as he caught a glint of something on his right side. "Bringing in such fine looking distinguished gents and ladies to grace my humble galley, had I known I'd 'ave tucked in me shirt!" he smirked, bowing so low that Jim could see his entire right side.

The boy gasped as he realized who he was. It couldn't be! Was this the man he had been warned about?

Mr. Silver had a large belly with a white shirt and apron tucked into pinstriped pants. He looked to be a sort of ursid hybrid, a bear-like man with a very large nose and tiny ears poking out from underneath a red bandana pulled around his head. His fingers were thick and ended in small sharp looking nails. His skin was a tan fleshy color, no fur anywhere in sight. This, however, was not what held Jim's attention. The man's entire right side was mechanical. His arm was a huge hunk of metal from his shoulder blade all the way down to the tips of his fingers. His eye had been replaced with a cybernetic one that glowed yellow and pinned Jim on the spot.

The side of his head looked to have some sort of wheel attached that was constantly spinning like the thoughts in his mind. And instead of a buckled shoe and stubby leg like on the left side, his right side had a metal peg with a sort of grip at the end to keep him from slipping.

"The cyborg," Jim whispered in shock. Nobody except Alice realized what he had just said. She turned to him with a curious expression, but Jim ignored her gaze.

"May I introduce Doctor Doppler, the financier of our voyage?" Mr. Arrow continued as Delbert adjusted his spectacles and nodded kindly to the cook. Silver smirked at Delbert's outfit as his cybernetic eye opened up and a laser beam shot out swerving over the suit.

"Love teh outfit, Doc!" Silver snickered. Delbert looked extremely uncomfortable and attempted to cover himself in a small manner.

"Well thank you, uh, love the eye," he bumbled before seeming to spot Jim and Alice for the first time. "These young kids are Jim and Alice," he stammered, pushing them forward.

"Jimbo, Alice!" Silver greeted, throwing his metal hand out, but it had suddenly changed into a mixture of knives and sharp kitchen utensils. Alice jumped back bumping into Jim as Silver noticed their alarm.

"Whoops," he chuckled as the utensils folded back into his arm and his metal hand replaced them once more. Jim sneered at the cook but Alice hesitantly reached out and took the man's hand. Silver smiled a toothy grin, squeezing her small flesh very gently.

"Tis nice ta see a young lass like yerself, Ally," Silver said, his demeanor ever kindhearted. Alice pulled a tiny smile.

"Just Alice, please," she requested. Silver let go of her hand and leaned in.

"Sorry, lass, I didn't quite catch tha'."

"Just Alice," she spoke louder.

"As yeh wish me lady," Silver chuckled before turning to Jim and sticking out his hand to the boy. Instead of returning the polite gesture Jim glared down at the man's metal hand before lifting his eyes in a contemptuous look. Realizing the boy would not be returning the gesticulation Silver turned back toward the countertops, switching his metal hand to a large knife as it grabbed several vegetables.

"Ah now don't be too put off by dis hunk o' hardware," he said, chopping up the vegetables before suddenly pretending to chop off his hand. "Whoa!" he laughed, pulling his hand back out of his sleeve and wiggling his fingers to show it was a joke. "These gears 'ave been tough getting used to, but they do come in mighty handy from time ta time," he announced, dumping the vegetables in the soup he was simmering before tapping a bit of salt and pepper in, switching his knife back to his hand, and ladling the soup into three bowls which he then pressed into Delbert, Jim, and Alice's hands.

"Here now, 'ave a taste o' me famous Bonzabeast stew."

The stew looked like a bowl of mud to Jim and Alice who took their spoons and gave it a skeptical look. Only Delbert was brave enough to try it.

"Mmm, delightfully tangy yet robust," he said.

"Ol' family recipe," Silver added, watching the Doc go in to take another sip when something particularly repulsive floated to the surface. Delbert jumped back, horrified that an eyeball was floating in his food.

"Augh!" he yelped as Silver released a strident laugh and walked over.

"In fact, t'at was part o' the ol' family!" he bellowed before pulling back and laughing hysterically. Delbert let out a nervous chuckle as Silver composed himself and wiped the tears from his eyes. "Oh, jus' kiddin', Doc," he teased, taking the eyeball and popping it into his mouth, swallowing it whole. "I'm nothin' if I ain't a kidder," he said as he put his arms around Jim and Alice's shoulders. "Go on you two have a swig!"

Jim lifted his spoon and cocked an eyebrow as if silently asking if he had to. Alice didn't look too thrilled either. She lifted her spoon as well and was about to take a nervous bite when the spoon unexpectedly swallowed the scoop of stew. Alice gasped and drew back as Jim looked over in shock. The spoon grew two eyes before turning into a pink, transparent mass that floated into the air, panting happily.

"Morph!" Silver scolded the gelatinous blob. "You jigger headed blob o' mischief! So dat's where you was hiding." As Silver talked, Alice watched in disbelief as the creature morphed into a straw and slurped up the remainder of her stew before releasing a happy burp and spinning around in the air, nuzzling Alice's cheek.

"What is that thing?" Jim and Alice asked simultaneously as Morph zipped over toward Jim.

"What is that thing?" he mimicked before morphing into a miniature image of the boy and sitting himself down on Jim's outstretched finger.

"He's…a morph," Silver struggled to explain. "I rescued the little shape shifter from Proteus 1." Morph reformed and licked Jim's cheek. The boy cracked a smile which Alice noticed straightaway. She thought he looked nicer when he smiled, but it didn't last long. The minute Morph pulled away and floated back toward Silver, Jim's cold expression returned.

"He took a side ta me, we've been together ever since," Silver smiled as Morph curled against his cheek purring happily. A bell up on deck alerted Mr. Arrow that it was time to launch.

"We're about to get underway," he announced. "Would you like to observe the launch, Doctor?"

"Would I?" Delbert gasped, excitement written all over his face. "Does an active galactic nucleus have super aluminum jets?" he chuckled, hoping the others would catch onto his failed joke. When all three of them, including Silver, stared at the Doctor like he had grown two heads he awkwardly cleared his throat. "I'll follow you," he muttered and walked past.

Both Jim and Alice turned to follow, but Mr. Arrow pushed them back.

"Mr. Hawkins and Miss Alice will stay here, in your charge Mr. Silver." Silver, who had been tasting his stew, choked and spit.

"Beggin' yer pardon, Sir, but I –"

"Captain's orders! See to it the new cabin kids are kept busy," Mr. Arrow ordered before heading back up on deck. Alice, who'd been expecting this, did not attempt to argue her case like Silver and Jim.

"Ah you can't –"

"I mean teh lad is –"

"This is just –"

The two of them broke off sighing and rubbing their faces.

"So," Silver began, looking Jim and Alice over. "Cap'n has put yeh two with me, eh?"

"Whatever," Jim snorted.

"Yes," Alice responded. Both of them caught each other's eye before hurriedly looking away.

"Do the two o' yeh know each other?" Silver continued, rolling up his sleeves to begin preparing another meal.

"We just met today," Jim explained. Alice nodded.

"Yeh got a last name, Alice?" Silver inquired, keeping his back turned.

"No," Alice mumbled, attempting to look in every other direction but the two men in front of her. Jim squinted at the girl before him. She was probably the quietest girl he'd ever met. He couldn't seem to figure her out.

"Why not, lass?" Alice's lips twitched as she looked at her feet while setting her empty bowl on one of the tables.

"I've grown up in a boarding school because my parents left me there as a baby. I never knew them and I don't know my last name," she explained. Alice didn't enjoy talking to new people, especially about her past. She was used to being quiet and left alone. Nobody had ever taken an interest in her life which made her wonder why Silver was asking so many questions.

"Tis a shame, I'm sorry lass," Silver spoke up, shooting Alice a sympathetic glance. Jim's brow creased. That must've been why she was so quiet.

"You're an orphan?" he asked bluntly. Alice caught his look but kept silent, anxiously biting her lip.

"What about you, Jimbo?" Silver continued. Jim's tiny rip in his façade was quickly stitched back up as he glowered at the cyborg's back. He had every reason to be wary of this man.

"Lived on Montressor," he began. Spotting a large barrel filled to the top with a purple fruit, an idea began to spin together in his mind. He grabbed one of the purple pods. "These purps are kind of like the ones back home."

"Are they now? Tis probably where we got 'em," Silver called over his back as Jim walked toward the counter.

"Ever been to Montressor?" the boy asked sneakily. Alice was watching him with interest. Why was he so distrustful of this man? She got her answer soon enough.

"Can't say I 'ave, Jimbo." Jim bit into the fruit as he jumped up on the counter to sit.

"Come to think of it," he continued before swallowing his bite. "Just before I left I met this old guy who was kind of looking for a cyborg buddy of his." Alice watched as Silver's arm changed to a small spinning blade. The cyborg hesitated before reaching for a fruit and sawing the thing in half.

"Is tha' so?" Silver asked, playing along, but Alice could tell he was uneasy and Jim's comments weren't making him happy.

"Yeah," Jim nodded, not seeming to notice the man's tension. "What was that old salamander's name?" he whispered, rubbing his face. "Oh yeah. Bones. Billy Bones."

"Bones?" Silver asked, turning around and cocking an eyebrow as he grabbed a bowl filled with hot liquid. "Bo-o-ones?" he trailed off seeming to test out the name. "Mmm, t'ain't ringin' any bells. Must 'ave been a different cyborg. There's a slew of cyborgs, roamin' dis port," Silver smiled, dragging the bowl over to the counter next to Jim who frowned.

All three of them went quiet as a whistle sounded from on deck.

"Prepare to cast off!" Mr. Arrow's voice echoed.

"Ah, off wit yeh two. An' watch teh launch. There'll be plenty o' work awaiting for yeh afterwards," Silver grunted, pushing Jim off the counter as Alice followed after the boy.

Both teens stepped up into the bright sunlight as spacers ran about, scurrying to tie things down for launch.

"Billy Bones."

Jim's head whipped up as he turned to face Alice who looked uncomfortable, but persisted.

"Billy Bones gave you the map." Jim wanted to snap something back at her, but he held his tongue. Her look was pure curiosity. There was nothing condescending in her voice.

"Yes," he finally replied. "Billy Bones did give me the map."

"Could I…hear the rest of the story?" Alice asked shyly. For a moment Jim debated telling her about it. At last he gave her a small smile.

"Sure, but let's watch the ship launch first."

"Okay," Alice agreed as she and Jim deposited their bags in the crew's quarters before running back up on deck.

"We are all clear, Capteen!" a slug-like alien man in the crow's nest called down to Amelia who stood at the helm with Arrow and Doppler.

"Well, my friend," Amelia smiled, sucking in a deep-lungful of pristine spaceport air. "Are we ready to raise this creaking tub?"

"My pleasure, Captain," Arrow returned the grin as he faced the crew. "All hands to stations! Smartly now!"

Jim and Alice were caught in a flurry of spacers as they ran for the shrouds, reaching for the weathered rope as they pulled themselves up toward the wooden booms where the sails were currently secured. Jim caught Alice's arm and pulled her back right as a tiny alien woman with hands for feet scurried past. Alice passed him a genuine smile, but Jim swallowed and turned his face in the opposite direction, his hands jammed into his jacket pockets as he pretended not to notice.

"Loose all solar sails!" Mr. Arrow ordered. The two teenagers turned their attention to the sails with enthralled expressions as the crew grabbed the ropes and untied the firm knots allowing the sails to burst open, unraveling like flower blossoms as they took on the shape of a half-shells. Jim and Alice watched in awe as the sunlight caught the billowing white sails, causing them to shimmer and light up, rippling with solar energy.

"How do they do that?" Alice asked more to herself than anyone as the ship began to rise.

"How does what do what?" Jim asked making Alice jump.

"Oh," she stammered, pushing a piece of hair behind her ear. "I was just curious how the sails catch the sunlight like that," she explained. Jim's expression perked up at the prospect that he knew something she didn't.

"There's these things called Arcturian solar crystals sewn directly into the sail. They catch the sunlight and then, see those cables?" he asked, pointing to the cables hanging off the sails and connecting to the masts. Alice nodded. "Those send the power down to the engine room. I think," Jim scratched his head. "I could be wrong, though."

Alice looked at him in amazement.

"How do you know all of that?" she inquired. Jim shrugged, returning to his indifferent look.

"I've built my fair share of machine," he said, turning to occupy his eyes elsewhere. Alice wanted to know more, but didn't want to pry so she let it go. As if to prove Jim's statement, not a moment later several thin slots located on the center mast began to glow one by one as the solar energy charged down to the boiler room. Jim ran to the rail of the ship and looked down, a smile creeping across his lips as Alice followed him, looking at the shrinking people and buildings. The young girl swallowed hard and scrambled backward, Jim noticed.

"What's got you so scared?" he asked.

"I-I don't like heights," Alice flushed. Jim looked ready to reply when something very unexpected happened to both of them. Alice felt her feet leave the ground as she let out a yelp of terror. She tumbled about in the air looking to her right to see Jim in a similar predicament. The surprise was evident in his expression as the two teenagers looked around to see that the only one not feeling the effect of zero gravity was the farting alien from earlier who clung to the floor near a whizzing purple generator, beneath the helm, with his suction cups attached firmly to the deck.

"Mr. Snuff!" Amelia called, her and Arrow keeping their straight posture while Delbert tumbled about in his round metal suit. "Engage artificial gravity!"

Mr. Snuff farted in reply as he pushed a lever on the generator sending a purple shockwave over the deck and zapping everyone back down. Alice sprawled across the deck clumsily while Jim landed with his knees bent and his hands pressed against the wood. Delbert, at the helm, landed with an uncomfortable thud on his face, losing his helmet as it rolled away in another direction. Captain Amelia looked at him, unimpressed before turning to their helmsman, a gray octopus-like alien man with a rotating head.

"South by southwest, Mr. Turnbuckle, heading 2-1-0-0," she ordered.

"Aye, Captain, 2-1-0-0," he replied, turning the wheel as the ship rotated to the correct position.

Just as the Jim, Alice and Delbert all straightened up from their varying places aboard the vessel, the ship stopped moving, its bow pointed to an empty patch of sky high above the spaceport.

"Full speed, Mr. Arrow, if you please," Amelia told her first mate as Mr. Arrow grabbed ahold of a pipe that led below allowing communication between the helm and the engine room.

"Take her away!" he commanded. Jim and Alice stopped and looked at each other as a low hum could be heard coming from the thrusters. Alice didn't know exactly what was to happen next but she had a pretty good idea. At the same time both she and Jim ran to the shrouds and grabbed on.

"Brace yourself, Doctor," Amelia smirked at Delbert who brushed himself off and sneered at her.

Within precisely ten seconds a massive roar could be heard exploding from the engines as the ship was propelled into the depths of space. Alice was glad she'd hung on or she'd have been sent tumbling backward for sure. The unfortunate Doctor hadn't taken heed to Amelia's warning from earlier and had ended up in a twisted pile of metal, loose bolts, and limbs.

Jim grinned, grabbing the shroud and hoisting himself up so he hung off of it, dangling part of his leg into space. The stars seemed to encircle him as he closed his eyes feeling the breeze wash over his face like the touch of a cool hand.

"Look!" Alice called as Jim's eyes popped open. His smile widened as he realized what was in front of them. An enormous pod of leviathan–like creatures (whale–like) flew past them. They had royal blue backs and white underbellies dotted with red. Each of them were colossal! The Legacy looked like a toy compared to the creatures who released low moans of delight. Their fins rippled and flapped as they flew over, under, and side by side with the ship.

Alice was in shock. She'd read about such creatures but she never believed she'd see them on an imperial vessel heading out into space on an adventure of her very own. It was a truly magical experience. One of the Orci swam right up next to the side of the boat where Alice and Jim stood. Alice couldn't contain the happy laugh that escaped her lips as Jim reached out a hand to touch its rubbery skin. Unfortunately it moved away just before Jim could make contact.

For a moment the teenagers forgot about their situations in life, completely absorbed in the unbelievable world around them. The Etherium truly was living, roiling, and ever changing.

Alice spotted Silver coming up on deck behind them, but paid him little attention. He seemed to be talking to the Captain anyway.

"Ah tis a fine day for sailing, Cap'n!" Silver grinned, adjusting the black coat he now wore around his massive shoulders along with the three cornered hat now on his head. "An' look at yeh! Yer as trim an' as bonny as a sloop with new sails an' a fresh coat o' paint," he praised, pulling off his hat and bowing low before her. Amelia's lips tightened as she caught onto the reason Silver was flattering her so.

"You can keep that kind of flimflammer for your spaceport floozies, Silver!"

Silver's face dropped in embarrassment, and as if to make matters worse, Morph (who had been resting on his shoulder) flew up and transformed into a mini Amelia mimicking the phrase, "spaceport floozies" over and over. Silver took his hat and dragged it over Morph, trapping the shape shifter between the cyborg's head and hat.

"You've cut me to the quick, Captain," Silver said. "I speaks nothin' but me heart at all times – eh heh," he laughed, forcing his hat back onto his head as Morph tried to escape. Amelia changed tactics when she noticed Jim and Alice laughing together as they rested by the shrouds.

"And um, by the way, aren't those your cabin kids aimlessly fooling about in those shrouds?" Silver tried to return a witty comment, but fumbled.

"I – they – oh. A moment to the aberration, Captain. Soon to be addressed," he assured her.

Meanwhile Alice watched as Jim slid down the shrouds. Once he was back on her level he turned to face her.

"Have you ever sailed before?" he asked. Alice blushed in embarrassment. She did not want to admit she hadn't but she didn't want to lie.

"No," she sighed, turning away.

"Neither have I," Jim replied. Alice spun back to face him.

"You haven't?" she gasped.

"Nope," he shrugged.

"But you seem so comfortable with it all!"

"I've always been comfortable with flying and space," he rubbed his neck, not catching her gaze.

"I haven't," Alice mumbled. Jim heard her and was about to respond when Silver interrupted the two.

"Jimbo, Alice! I've got two new friends I'd like yeh ta meet!" Jim and Alice shared an excited look before turning back to Silver. "Say hello to Mr. Mop –" He tossed a mop to Jim. "And Mrs. Bucket," he laughed, tossing a bucket to Alice who fumbled and nearly dropped it.

Jim's scowl returned.

"Yippee," he grumbled.

It wasn't long before the two of them were irritably swabbing the deck. At first Alice did not mind being put to work, but she hadn't realized how beautiful space truly was. She didn't want to mop the floor; she wanted to experience her first voyage as much as she could.

Jim was feeling the same way and decided to spend time sulking rather than starting up a conversation with the girl next to him. Alice preferred it this way. As much as Jim was the first person she'd really enjoyed getting to know, she still liked her solitude.

At last Jim looked up from his mop.

"I thought you wanted to hear the story about how I got the map," Jim said. Alice paused to wipe her brow.

"Could you tell it?" she asked. Jim's lips twitched upward as he began.

"As you've probably figured out by now I live on the mining planet Montressor and –"

"Are the people there barbaric? Is it a wasteland?" Alice interrupted, her green eyes widening. Jim let out a small laugh.

"Barbaric no, wasteland yes."

"My principal told me your society was mostly barbaric," Alice mumbled in embarrassment. Jim felt somewhat offended.

"We're not barbaric," he argued. "We're just a lonely out-post I guess. Can I continue with the story?"

"Sure," Alice grinned, her eyes twinkling with this newfound information.

"My mom runs an inn; we live in the town of Benbow." Jim swallowed as he flashed back to that fateful day when he was entrusted the map to Treasure Planet. "One day I was out on the roof and a space craft landed on one of the docks in front of the inn and I was handed the map," he shrugged before suddenly getting back to mopping.

"What?" Alice demanded. "That can't just be the whole story! What about Billy Bones? What happened to him?" Jim slowed his mopping and sighed.

"You really want to know?"

"Of course," Alice spoke up at once.

"Billy Bones was the one that crashed. It was raining hard that day. I helped him inside. He-he opened his treasure chest and handed me the map. He was a pretty old guy, if the crash hadn't killed him age would've. I think in the end he just decided it was time, but, uh, just before he died he told me something," Jim spoke softly.

Alice was clinging to his every word now.

"What did he tell you?" she inquired. Jim looked around nervously before scooting closer to Alice. The girl made to move back from his close proximity but Jim stopped her.

"He told me to beware the cyborg," he whispered in her ear. "He said they were coming; _he_ was coming." Alice's eyes widened in shock.

"You don't think Silver –"

"I don't know, but I don't trust him," Jim cut her off as he pulled back. "All I know is that there's more than one with him, which is why I think the Captain is so…careful."

"How do you know there's more than one?" Alice asked.

"Because that night, the night Billy Bones entrusted the map to me, we were attacked," Jim explained, still making sure nobody could overhear them. Alice's mop clattered to the deck and she scrambled to pick it up.

"What happened?"

"We got out fine; it was just my mom, the Doc and I that night. Thankfully there weren't any customers renting a room. Those pirates, they burned down my home. I have nothing now, unless I can get that treasure from Flint's Trove," Jim huffed, turning away and attacking the wood with his mop as if it could wash away the loss.

"I'm so sorry, Jim," Alice said, her gaze sympathetic. Jim slowed his mopping for a moment.

"I don't need pity," he grumbled. Alice was quiet as the boy quit his mopping and ran a hand through his hair before gazing at her. "I just need a chance to make things _right_." At the moment Alice did not understand the true weight of those words.

After that they were silent again, both of them unsure of what to say. Jim was smacking himself for saying so much to a girl he hardly knew, but her eyes, her countenance just seemed to possess an air of sincerity along with a silent yearn to learn all there was about the Etherium.

As he continued his mopping loud whispers caught his attention. Jim looked up, past Alice, toward a group of his crewmembers over by a barrel. They were talking in rapid, hushed voices as if debating something serious.

One was a light brown skinned alien with fat rolls hanging from his chin, arms, legs, and belly. Four horns jutted from the top of his head as a gold ring hung from one of the antlers (probably to act as a type of earring). On each small hand he had a thumb and two fingers ending in claws. He had four toes on each foot and four spikes on the tail that dragged behind him.

The second man wasn't nearly as chubby as the first but definitely not lean. He was tan skinned and only wore a pair of shorts. His head adorned a bandana while his head and chin, instead of covered in hair, had some sort of peculiar tentacle.

The third, and final man, was a short creature Jim had seen in the crow's nest earlier, Mr. Onus. His body looked like a slug's with six eyes atop six eye stocks on his head making him a very capable lookout.

As Jim continued to stare at the trio, the pudgy one, Meltdown as he was called, suddenly nudged his buddies and pointed to Jim. Immediately the three of them broke apart and turned to face the curious cabin boy.

"What are you looking at weirdo?" the second man sneered. Jim's expression was torn between disgust and odd fascination as the head crawled off the body using its tentacles. The body unfolded its arms by itself as two eyes popped open on the chest and a mouth (which Jim had originally thought was a stretch mark) appeared below them.

"Yeah, weirdo," the body echoed in a much higher voice. Alice had stopped her mopping and was also watching the scene. Before any more insults could be thrown back and forth a spine chilling hiss was heard coming from above the two teenagers.

Jim and Alice looked up in horror to see a spiderlike creature climbing down the shrouds to tower over them both. He had six legs attached to a type of abdomen with two arms that looked like a crab's pinchers. His whole body was a mixture of black and red splotches with a pair of pinchers for a mouth. He wore a small hat atop his head as stringy grey hair tumbled out from underneath it.

None of his body parts, however, even came close to the cold yellow eyes that were trained right on Jim.

"Cabin boys-s-s should learn to mind their own buis-snes-s-s," he hissed, stressing his 's'. Indeed Jim was intimidated, but when confronted with a challenge he was never one to back off. The boy caught Alice's nervous look before turning back to the spider and smirking.

"Why? You got something to hide bright eyes?" he joked. The spider's eyes flashed as his claw shot out and wrapped around Jim's neck, lifting the squirming boy into the air so his mop clattered against the deck. Jim gasped as his feet left the ground and the spider's grip tightened.

"Maybe your ears-s-s don't work s-s-so well," he snarled in Jim's face so that the boy caught a whiff of what could only be described as death.

"Yeah," Jim grunted, seeing Alice drop her mop and hurry below deck. "Too bad my nose works just fine," he sneered. The spider's face contorted to one of rage.

"Why you impudent little – Hah!" he yelled slamming Jim back against the mast so the boy had the wind knocked out of him. Jim struggled in vain as he attempted to pry the arachnid's claw away from his neck but it was no use.

His other crewmembers ran forward cheering the bug on. The small alien woman, known as Birdbrain Mary, Jim had pulled Alice out of the way of earlier shouted enthusiastically as she leapt up and down using her small hand type feet.

"Come on! Slice him! Dice him!"

"Any last words-s cabin boy?" the spider growled, using the sharp end of his other claw to come dangerously close to Jim's throat. The boy lifted his chin expressing his discomfort and alarm, knowing he had gone too far this time.

He cringed as the claw moved in for the final blow…only to be stopped a moment later by a metal crusher wrapping around it. The spider hissed as his claw was pulled away. Jim blinked his eyes to see his savior.

It was Silver.

"Mr. Scroop," the cyborg began in such a casual tone one might've supposed he was discussing the weather had it not been for the man's firm grip on Scroop's claw. His metal hand had turned into a type of masher while his organic one held a purp. "You ever see what happens to a fresh purp," he continued, biting into the lush fruit, "if yeh squeeze real _hard_?" Scroop let out a yelp of pain as Silver's implement tightened threateningly. The spider released Jim so that the boy landed on his hands and knees painfully.

"What's all this then?" The crowd that had gathered all looked up to see Mr. Arrow strutting forward, glaring them all down. "You know the rules; there'll be no brawling on this ship!" Jim spotted Alice standing behind Silver, biting her lower lip as usual. She caught Jim's eye but he looked away, getting to his feet, and slumping against the mast. "Any further offenders will be confined to the brig for the remainder of the voyage."

Mr. Arrow stopped in front of Scroop and leaned in coldly.

"Am I clear, Mr. Scroop?" he annunciated. The spider let out a low growl and clicked his claws when a harsh crimson glow caught his attention. Silver's cybernetic eye had turned blood red and was eyeing the arachnid sternly. This all went unnoticed by Jim and Alice as, at last, the bug turned back to their first mate.

"Transparently," he hissed. Mr. Arrow straightened up and took his leave as did Scroop and the rest of the crew.

"Well done Mr. Arrow, Sir!" Silver called out, once again attempting to flatter their higher ranking officers. "A tight ship's a happy ship, Sir!" he smiled until he was sure the three of them were alone again. "Jimbo! I gave yeh a job –"

"Hey I was doing it until that bug thing –!"

"Belay that!" Silver roared over the boy's argument. "What would 'ave become o' yeh if Alice hadn't come teh get me?"

"I would've been fine –"

"Now I want this deck swabbed spotless!" Silver continued as if he hadn't heard a word Jim just said. "An' heaven help yeh two if I come back an' it's not done…Morph!" he called as his protoplasmic pet flew over. "Keep an eye on these pups, an' let me know if there be any more distractions." With those final words the cyborg took his leave. Morph made disappointed chattering sounds as he turned into a large pair of eyes and circled around the two of them as they picked up their mops and began the tedious job of cleaning the deck once more.

Jim was furious as he scrubbed away at the wood. What little respect he had had for Alice completely disappeared once he found out she'd ran for Silver. Jim was embarrassed Alice had seen him so helpless, not Silver too.

"Thanks for telling on me," Jim snapped at her as he went to dip his mop in the bucket. Alice was taken aback.

"I thought you needed it," she said, her voice its typical quiet.

"Yeah well I didn't, so thanks for nothing," Jim grumbled. Alice frowned.

"Jim, Scroop could've seriously hurt you."

"I had it under control."

"I'd hate to see out of control," Alice snorted. Jim shot her a glare.

"You know what? It didn't even concern you, so why'd you have to run off for help that I didn't ask for?" Alice felt anger boil to the surface.

"Because I didn't want to see you get killed!"

"I wouldn't have gotten killed!"

"Fine, if you're going to be so ungrateful about it maybe I'll go mop over here!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!" Alice grabbed her mop and stormed to the other side of the deck. Morph looked between the two teens helplessly before finally deciding to follow Alice. Jim noticed and scowled.

"You're leaving me too? Whatever, it's not like I care!" He turned away, his body language and facial expression conveying his contempt as Alice set to work on her side of the deck. As she swabbed her anger began to ebb away leaving behind a state of confusion. She had been angry before at her parents, her school, and the people around her, but she'd held it in. She'd never had anyone to take it out on, but ever since she'd met Jim it was as if an angry monster was clawing at her vocal chords begging her to release the scream that had been building up for years.

She held her tongue, just like every other time. As much as she did want to stomp around like an uncivilized person it was not the time however much she wished it to be. She hadn't realized how long she'd been swabbing until she noticed the sky getting darker as they pulled away from the planet's sun.

Morph had, once again, returned to Jim's side and as Alice walked over once more to dip her mop in the bucket she overheard their conversation.

"Well this has been a fun day, huh?" Jim sighed, as he turned to Morph who hiccupped up bubbles from trying to help the boy work. "Making new friends, like that spider psycho." He wiggled his fingers as Morph shaped himself into an image of Scroop.

"Spider psycho! Spider psycho!" he mimicked. Jim chuckled.

"A little uglier."

"Muah-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Morph laughed as he forced Scroop's face to look as wild-eyed as he could.

"Pretty close," Jim laughed as Morph shrugged and reformed before zipping over to Alice's side. The girl smiled, tickling the cheerful blob as she dunked her mop in the bucket and turned away.

"Alice?" She hesitated before turning around to see Jim scratching the back of his neck and staring at his feet. Her anger had all but diminished over the past couple of hours.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks," he stammered. Alice smiled. "Thanks for getting Silver."

"You're welcome."

"I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier."

"I'm sorry too." Both of them looked up and caught each other's eye before looking away, seeming determined not to let their gazes lock for too long. The silence seemed to draw on a few minutes before another voice joined their party.

"T'ank heaven for a little miracle! Up here for an hour an' teh deck's still in one piece," Silver smiled as he wrestled a large bowl filled with leftover dinner scraps Jim and Alice had forgotten to eat.

"Hey uh…look what you did…" Jim struggled, shifting his mop back and forth. Should he even be thanking the cyborg? Wasn't this the man that destroyed his home? Then again he could've ignored Alice when she ran to find him instead of coming to help. Jim figured he owed the man that much, although his original suspicions remained. "Thanks," he finally choked out.

Silver stopped tossing the leftovers over the side and set the bowl down before turning back to Jim with a sad stare.

"Didn't yer pap ever teach yeh teh pick yer fights a bit more carefully?"

"Yeah, you never told me about your dad," Alice added, but her mood became solemn when the obvious unhappiness on Jim's face poked through. He turned away from both of them, his eyebrows knitting together while his face fell into shadow from his bangs. Silver looked at the boy, realizing the topic was a difficult one for Jim to broach.

"Yer father not the teachin' sort?" he asked, careful not to upset the lad. Jim's knuckles tightened around the mop handle.

"No," he muttered. "He was more of the taking-off-and-never-coming-back sort." Alice looked at Jim with a new sense of understanding.

"Your dad just left?" she asked, shocked by this news.

"Yeah he did, okay?" Jim growled, disdain oozing from him like a tidal wave. Alice was stunned. She thought he'd been one of those boys with a perfect family, just trying to rebel for the heck of it and to annoy his parents. She had no idea he'd dealt with the pain of his father deliberately walking out on him.

No wonder he was always hiding and trying to put on a show. Alice had never known her father so growing up without him hadn't been very painful. At times it was, but she had no memory of him to cling to. He became just another name to be filed away in her brain like a vocabulary word in a text book.

"Ah, sorry lad," Silver said, his voice ever sincere as he leaned on the rail. Jim came over and set his mop against it.

"Hey, it's no big deal, I'm doing just fine." Alice wasn't an expert on therapy but she was certain Jim was not doing as well as he said. She joined the two men at the rail and peered off into the Etherium. Silver looked at the two kids for a moment, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Well," he began again. "Since teh Captain has put yeh two in my charge, like it or not I'll be poundin' a few skills inta those thick heads o' yers ta keep yeh out o' trouble!" he smirked, poking Jim's forehead with his heavy fingers. Jim waved him away.

"What?"

"From now on, I'm not letting yeh out o' me sight!"

"You can't –!" Alice started, but Silver cut her off.

"You won't so much as eat, sleep, or scratch yer bums without my say so!" Jim huffed in irritation.

"Don't do me any favors," he snorted sarcastically.

"Oh you can be sure o' that lad! You can be sure o' that!"


	4. Friendship to Last

_**Chapter 4**_

_**Friendship to Last**_

Silver stuck right to his word. Jim and Alice spent every day working from the crack of dawn until their fellow crewmembers were already fast asleep. Every so often Jim was called up to Captain Amelia's stateroom to reopen the map and check their location. Alice was never invited, but there was no reason for her to be there, and she knew Amelia was trying to limit how many people saw the map. Instead Alice worked hard at her chores without complaint despite her exhaustion. Jim was quiet in his work as well, but he always wore a moody scowl on his face. He didn't talk much at first, just completing his jobs around the ship.

Every so often a faraway look would enter his eyes as though remembering something buried deep in the crevices of his mind. The other spacers bullied the two cabin kids and although Alice never said anything to egg them on, Jim did.

"Jimbo, tis enough! Do yeh hear me lad? I can't keep letting yeh get inta fights like this," Silver fumed as he pushed Jim down into the galley causing Alice to look up from where she was cleaning tables.

"They start it! I'm defending myself!" Jim snapped, running the back of his hand over his cut lip. Silver sighed in exasperation as he prepared a wet cloth and tried to hold it to Jim's lip but the boy shrunk away. "I'm fine."

"No yer not! Yeh look like teh victim of a raid," Silver grumbled, examining Jim's black eye. "The others are jus' doing it teh provoke yeh. They want yeh to fight back."

"I'd be happy to," Jim hissed under his breath. Silver frowned at the morose teenager before him. Jim had his hands jammed into the pockets of his familiar black jacket while his bangs fell into his face and he studied the floor in keen interest.

"Tis almost like yeh don't 'ave any respect for yerself," the cyborg said slowly, rubbing his chin. Jim winced when these words reached his ears.

"I don't," he muttered before storming out of the room. Alice looked at Silver who shook his head.

"I don't know what ta do wit him anymore, Alice."

"Do with him! Do with him!" Morph mimicked as he settled on Alice's shoulder making the girl crack a small smile. The rest of the day she and Silver worked in silence. Jim didn't come down to the galley again. He missed lunch and by the time supper rolled around, Alice figured she should try to find him.

She was unsure how to talk to such a rebellious boy but some emotion in the pit of her stomach told her to take the chance. She found him kneeling on the bow of the ship, staring off into space while the rest of their crewmembers enjoyed a warm dinner in the galley.

Too terrified of heights, Alice didn't dare climb up.

"Jim?" she called instead. Jim's back went rigid as he slowly turned around to look at her. "H-hi," she stammered when she noticed his questioning expression. "Listen, you didn't eat lunch so –"

"No, really?" he quipped. Alice swallowed hard.

"I just thought –"

"Just thought what?" Jim spat. Alice swallowed the anxiety building inside her.

"I just thought you'd be hungry," she choked out, her voice breaking up as she turned to walk away. The boy was hopeless. There was nothing she could do.

She took three steps when his voice called her back.

"Wait." Alice froze. "Maybe, maybe it wouldn't hurt to eat," he mumbled. Alice smiled as she turned around to see him leap off the bow. "I just don't want to eat down in the galley."

"Neither do I," she replied as Jim cracked a nervous grin and the two of them ate their dinner near the bow. They didn't talk much during the meal, enjoying their food in silence. After Alice had finished she looked at Jim.

"Why do you like to fight?"

Jim took his time chewing his food and only when he had swallowed did he reply.

"I don't like it."

"Then why do you do it?"

"Gotta stand up for something, don't I?" he shot back. Alice was quiet as he finished his dinner.

"Does it hurt?" she spoke up.

"What?"

"Your eye."

"Oh, this? Nah. I've had worse," he shrugged.

"You have?" Alice gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. Jim laughed at her concern before it dawned on him. She was concerned. She was worried about him. His laugh dried up immediately and he grabbed his dinner plate before getting to his feet.

"I think I'm going to go get some rest," he muttered, turning and leaving the girl behind as fast as possible. No one had cared about him for a long time. Surely Alice didn't. He barely knew her!

Jim shook off these thoughts as he pulled off his boots and burrowed into his hammock that night.

No one could care for a boy going nowhere.

* * *

Over the next few days Jim seemed to work himself to death. He didn't take a break ever. Alice noticed the dark circles appearing under his eyes and the exhaustion that seemed to sweep over his features. He didn't show up for meals anymore and Alice was beginning to worry something was terribly wrong.

Silver didn't seem to notice, and if he did notice he didn't care. Whenever Silver piled on another chore or task Jim did it without complaint even if his hands were covered in blisters, his mind was foggy with fatigue, and his stomach yearning for food. In fact Alice couldn't remember a time when Jim had eaten a decent meal.

At last Silver began to notice it too. The boy wasn't his usual self. His face was gaunt and pale, his eyes blurry with lack of sleep. The cyborg decided to confront Jim about it one morning in the galley.

"Yeh look pale, lad. Are yeh feeling okay?" he began as Jim scurried over to the purp barrel like he did every day.

"I'm fine," he rasped. Silver frowned as he dished up a plate of sausage and toast before plucking the purp from Jim and handing him the plate instead.

"Eat," Silver ordered. Jim wanted to snap back a sarcastic response, but his stomach whined pitifully and he gave into his body's demands. Silver watched the boy with a sad look. At first he had no interest in the young lad, but Alice and Jim had begun to grow on him over the past few weeks. It pained him to see Jim looking like such a wreck.

It made Silver wonder how bad Jim had taken his father's leave and if the boy truly didn't give a drubloon whether he lived or died.

"Hungry weren't yeh?" Jim hesitated, staring at Silver who eyed him down. The boy wanted to shrug and say no, but his stomach let out another rumble and Jim at last relented.

Silver dished him up another plate and passed it into Jim's greedy hands. He was just finishing up with his share when Alice came down the stairs yawning as she went. When she spotted Jim eating she grinned.

"You're eating again," she said.

"It's not like I ever stopped," Jim replied.

"Both o' yeh listen up. I'll have none o' this wasting away while doing work, yeh hear? The two o' yeh are ta eat well from now on and get better rest," Silver announced, handing Alice her own plate.

"You work us to death, though," Alice chuckled.

"Yeh can handle it. Now Jimbo let me see them hands." Jim clenched his blistered hands and stuffed them in his pockets. He had really felt the strain of Silver's work after the cyborg had made him peel two hundred astro-barnacles off the side of the ship. Jim had counted.

Silver pulled some bandages and antiseptic cream from a cupboard before lumbering over to Jim who eventually allowed Silver to bandage his hands.

"I don't see why it matters," Jim grunted. Alice and Silver shared a worried look.

"Jim, we don't want you to keep ignoring your health like this," Alice spoke up.

"Why should it bother you? You're not the one with blistered hands," Jim scoffed.

"We care about yeh lad. We don't want yeh ta get hurt," Silver grunted as he finished with Jim's hands. The boy looked up. His expression was almost like a child's.

"You care about me?" he asked slowly.

"Of course we do," Alice smiled. Jim tried to look away to hide his smile but both Silver and Alice saw.

"Now why don't the two o' yeh get started on swabbin' the deck again," Silver cleared his throat. Jim rolled his eyes, but his mood seemed to brighten.

"Okay," he and Alice replied simultaneously as they headed up the stairs together.

* * *

The days seemed to pass by faster after that. New relationships began to blossom. The two cabin kids didn't talk much at first, preferring to be alone, but they soon came to realize they needed each other more than ever.

"Silver wants us to do dishes," Jim said as he found Alice lying in her bunk trying to sneak in a bit of rest. Her eyes fluttered open as she looked up at Jim.

"Alright," she whispered and clambered out of her bunk as the two walked toward the enormous stack of dishes that seemed almost too horrible to be true.

"I cleaned these dishes this morning, there's no way all of them are dirty!" Alice grumbled.

"I think he does it just to torture us," Jim agreed as he sat himself down on an upturned barrel and began the long process of scrubbing down the overwhelming pile of dishes.

For a while they worked in silence side-by-side but it wasn't long before the two of them were shooting the other sidelong glances. At last, Jim cleared his throat.

"So you grew up in a boarding school?" He and Alice hadn't talked much about their pasts since they came aboard and for a second Jim wanted the words to crawl back into his mouth by the way Alice's face darkened like a roiling storm cloud.

"Yes," she replied. "I never knew my parents."

Jim wasn't sure what else to say and he turned to grab another plate when Alice started talking again. She didn't mean to be spilling everything but the words were coming out faster than she could stop them.

"I hate that place. I've lived fifteen years of my life contained inside those putrid grey walls of the building. I've never been out, not ever. I've seen kids leave for holidays, but it was never me. I don't know what it's like to feel free; I had no idea what the wind on your face could do. Everything outside of that school was like another dimension. It was a fantasyland to me. I never thought I'd get out. But when this voyage is over I'm going right back in," she choked as tears welled in her eyes.

She looked away to prevent Jim from seeing anything she didn't want him to see. Shame washed over her. Why did she say all of that to a boy who wouldn't care one bit?

"Don't go back," Jim said. Alice wiped her eyes and turned around.

"What?"

"Don't go back," he shrugged. "Run away. Don't go back."

"Where would I go?" Jim hesitated before a small smile appeared on his lips.

"My mom runs an inn, well, she used to run it until it, you know, burned down. You could stay with us for a while. Maybe we could find someone to adopt you."

"I don't want to be adopted!" Alice snapped making Jim jump. "I don't want to be adopted by fakes! I want my real parents!"

"Alice, I hate to say this, but I don't think your real parents are coming back," Jim replied, his expression hardening.

"How can you say that?" she demanded, leaping to her feet. "How can you say that to me when you won't even come to terms with the fact that your father's never coming back either!"

A dead silence seemed to settle on the empty galley. For a moment Jim opened his mouth before he closed it and threw down his scrub brush, storming out of the galley with a furious scowl on his face. Alice knew she had played the wrong card especially since she didn't know very much about the emotional bonds Jim's father had broken, but it was the only thing she could think of to say.

Alice bit her lip as she grabbed another dish and tried to prevent herself from thinking about it too much.

Jim, on the other hand, was furious as he stormed up on deck. Alice's comment had felt like a dead weight landing on his chest. He had been learning to forget about his dad's leave, but now it was as if Alice had stroked a raw nerve.

Deep down he always knew his father wasn't coming back, but the hope in his heart never dimmed. He would hope day after day that his father might return, but that feeling was crushed night after night when his father didn't return, didn't come back, didn't wish Jim a happy birthday or ask how he was doing.

No letter was ever sent, no message of his father's whereabouts. Heck Jim didn't even know if his father was alive. The boy leaned over the rail of the Legacy and dug his nails into the wood. The passing stars did little to comfort him as his mind sank back into unhappy memories of his father leaving him.

Whenever these flashbacks would stir, Jim would try to push them back so as not to be consumed by the black tidal wave that was steadily eroding his stone heart.

The memory came anyway, and Jim was powerless to it. _He remembered the soft morning air, his mother crying at the kitchen table as he, an eight year old boy, came running down the stairs, dashing out the door, and sprinting down to the docks in his pajamas. He had to get to his father. Jim knew without a shadow of a doubt that he'd never see the man again if he didn't. _

_ He ran to the edge of the dock, calling his father's name, but his tiny fingers could not stretch the distance. His voice could no longer reach the man's ears. He was gone. For good. _

Jim pulled out of the memory breathing hard. His hands felt cold and clammy. Perspiration dotted his brow. All in all he felt like throwing up.

"Lad, yeh okay?" Jim looked up to see Silver standing over him. He pulled back and straightened up, determined not to be caught in such an emotional state.

"I'm fine," he snapped. Silver looked taken aback by the young boy's mood.

"Yeh don't look so good. Why aren't yeh in teh galley with Alice?"

"Why don't you ask _her_?" Jim glowered at the cyborg. Silver's brow furrowed.

"Well I came teh tell yeh ta start polishin' the laser cannons. So get ta work, an' I'll go talk to Alice."

Jim returned a sarcastic salute as he took the rag and soapy water walking over to the golden laser cannon on deck and wiping the grime away from the shiny surface. The laser cannon, as annoying as it was to clean, was one of Jim's favorite parts of the ship, besides the bow. The cannon stood erect on the deck maintained and operated from a gunner's seat attached to one side of the cannon's exterior. The ammunition, crackling purple laser balls, were stored below deck and would travel up through an air tight tube to continuously feed the desired ammo into the heart of the cannon, ready to be deployed at any moment. The cannons could turn any which way with little effort for maximum firing range.

Despite the cannons of the Legacy being built for strategic destruction, their design was as elegant and beautiful as the rest of the ship. As Jim scrubbed away at the gold surface, he couldn't help but admire the intricate metalwork the cannon possessed. It felt like he spent all night alone with his thoughts and the cannon, just washing away the memories that stuck in his mind like space barnacles to a hull.

Even after he had finished, Jim pretended to look busy in order to procure a few more wistful minutes with the cannon, leaving himself open to his contemplations. When dinner rolled around he did not get up as much as his stomach protested. As supper came to a close, a pair of boots pattered toward him. Alice sat down in front of Jim who was leaning against the cannon on the ground, just dragging his finger across part of the machinery. The boy didn't acknowledge her.

"I brought you some dinner," she whispered. Still, he ignored her. Alice turned away. "I'm sorry, Jim," she breathed, the tears entering her eyes once again. "I shouldn't have said those things to you."

At last Jim turned to face the nervous girl in front of him.

"I know it hurts," he sighed, looking away again. Alice sniffed as she looked back at him.

"What?"

"I know that it hurts. I'm sorry I tried to get you to get over it." Alice met his sincere gaze and she nodded.

"You're forgiven."

"So are you." Both of them looked up and let out a slight chuckle. Jim took the dinner from her as they sat on the deck just relaxing.

"Jim, can I ask you a question?" Alice suddenly spoke up. Jim's fork hesitated above the plate.

"Sure," he shrugged.

"What is it you're trying to hide?" Jim choked on his food at the question. Once he had it under control he turned back to Alice.

"What do you mean?"

"You just seem to like to hide yourself away –"

"So do you," he pointed out. Alice flushed a delicate pink.

"I don't like to talk much," she admitted.

"You talk to me all right," Jim said, setting down his empty plate.

"You're easy to talk to." Jim let out a rather scornful laugh.

"Are you serious?" When Alice didn't laugh or make any sort of humorous comment Jim stopped. "You think I'm easy to talk to?" he asked in shock.

"Yes," Alice responded wholeheartedly.

"But why?" Jim frowned.

"I don't know," Alice said. "Maybe because we both have parent problems." Jim let out a chuckle.

"We do have parent problems, don't we?"

"A lot of problems," Alice agreed. _You don't know the half of it_, Jim thought. "So why do you hide yourself away?" Jim was quiet for a long time before he spoke, choosing his words carefully.

"It's easier to hide from the universe than take it on." Alice nodded at this information, pondering if she should ask her next question.

"Jim, what really happened with your dad?"

"I told you, he left," Jim grumbled as he picked at something on his boot, his dinner forgotten. "He just up and left me and my mom and he never came back. I was eight years old then." Alice looked at him sadly when Jim's faraway look turned into a familiar glare. "Do you want to know why I hide? It's because the universe is just one big game where everyone loses. If I don't get the treasure from Treasure Planet my life's over. I have nothing, okay?"

"I –"

"And I'm not just talking about my house!" Jim interrupted, his tone something fierce. "Before I left I was almost sent to Juvenile Hall because of how many times I got caught riding my solar surfer in a restricted area. Do you want to know why I hide? I hide because whenever people look at me they laugh at me, they call me the kid who screwed up his life and I –" Jim's voice broke as he pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut before he was sure he could continue without his voice wavering. "I'm failing at school, I'm failing at life. I have no future anywhere."

For a long time only the Etherium wind howling over the deck could be heard.

"I don't think you're a failure," Alice whispered. Jim turned to look at her. "Do you call sailing to a legendary trove failing? Name another lucky person who just happens to be entrusted with a map to a pile of gold bigger than their house?" Jim's lips twitched and broke into a genuine smile.

"I suppose it's not failing," he grinned, looking back down at his boots.

"In my opinion, you haven't failed," Alice nudged him. Jim's smile brought out something similar on her face. She was happy. For the first time in her life she felt truly alive. She was spacing next to a very nice boy who she had just made smile. Her heart lifted and her soul seemed to be riding on an invisible current.

"We should, uh, probably get to bed now huh?" Jim cleared his throat.

"That'd be a good idea," Alice nodded as they got to their feet, put away the cleaning equipment and their plates, and headed to the crew's quarters to spend the night dreaming of worlds beyond their imagination.

* * *

The hours turned into days which turned into weeks. Jim really started to enjoy Alice's quirky personality. She had not once drawn away from him or treated him with any malice or contempt. He opened up farther, told her things and feelings he'd had that even his mother didn't know.

Alice decided it was time to begin sharing some of her secrets as well. At first she had been hesitant and for a week she flat out refused to tell Jim anything, but gradually she began to open up to the boy. She showed him her writing, told him all about her life at the boarding school.

"Not much to say about that place," Alice shrugged one afternoon as they swabbed the deck for the umpteenth time. "I didn't have any friends. It's not like people cared to bother me, and if they did they –" Alice broke off and swallowed hard as Jim watched her with an interested eye. He saw the way she bit her lip again, something he noticed she did when she was nervous or holding back information.

"Did they tease you?" Jim asked out of plain curiosity. Alice nodded with a heavy sigh.

"I got used to it. It hurts, but I couldn't – I can't –" Alice broke off unable to form her thought into proper words. "I was too scared to know them. I felt so apart. They were rich with families and friends. I had no one." Alice continued mopping, not sure what else to say.

"I was teased too," Jim said. Alice looked at him. "I mean, I guess I brought it upon myself. I didn't want to be like any of them either. I didn't want to pretend I was alright. I wasn't." Jim rubbed his neck as he spared a glance as Alice. "That is, I've never had a close friend, until now."

Alice caught his gaze and this time both of them were slow to look away.

"I'm a close friend?" she grinned, her eyes lighting up. Jim's cheeks turned a faint pink color as he tore his gaze away and swallowed trying to look everywhere else but at Alice. The girl herself couldn't stop her own blush as she covered her mouth with her hand, admiring his embarrassment and finding it rather…compelling.

Her heart gave a tremendous leap leaving the girl breathless and confused. What was going on? Why did she feel so…tingly all of a sudden?

"Yeah, what else would I consider you?" Jim answered her question snapping her back to reality. Alice caught his gaze. He had shed his black jacket so he now wore a cream colored long sleeved shirt. It still hung off of him a bit, but it made him look taller, not so slouched like he used to be.

"I-I don't know," Alice stammered. "I consider you to be a friend too," she breathed. Jim smiled a wholesome smile that made Alice catch her breath. After a moment the boy realized what he was doing and cleared his throat, looking away again as the two cabin kids returned to swabbing the deck, trying hard not to let their gazes wander.

Not only did Jim and Alice's relationship grow fonder, but so did their relationship with Silver. At first he had seemed only to care about working them to death, but as time went on they began to see a side of the cyborg they never knew existed. To Jim and Alice it was almost like Silver had become a replacement father of some sorts.

He began teaching the two of them things about the ship and how to become better spacers.

"Now what yeh want ta do here, Alice, is yeh want ta loop the rope around like so," Silver instructed one evening as he and Alice sat in the observation deck coming off of the helm. Alice bit her lip and followed Silver's move with the rope. "No like this, Alice," Silver reprimanded as he showed her again.

Alice frowned and attempted the move but found that she had, once again, failed at tying the knot. Silver sighed and gently plucked the rope from her.

"Alice, lass, tis not that hard."

"I can't do it," Alice groaned. "I'm just not cut out to be a spacer."

"Don't yeh be talkin' like that now, lass. Ye'll get it soon enough."

"Yeah, but when is 'soon'?"

Silver chuckled as he untied her poor knot and handed the rope back to her.

"Soon," he assured her.

It took Alice many hours of practicing but eventually she mastered three different ways to tie a knot. Knot-tying, however, wasn't all she struggled with. While Jim seemed to understand things in the blink of an eye, Alice found it hard to complete Silver's tasks unrelated to cooking and cleaning. She refused point blank to even go near the shrouds, and when Silver tried to show her and Jim how to prepare a longboat in a compartment in the belly of the ship, she ended up knocking her head and nearly sending the boat into space.

"I just can't do it," she mumbled in defeat. "I'm not meant to be out here in the Etherium." She sat against the wall in the longboat hold, hugging her knees to her chest.

"You're doing just fine," Jim argued, taking a seat next to her as Silver secured the boat again.

"No I'm not. I almost lost one of our lifeboats!"

"Okay, well that was a little problematic, but you'll get there. I'm sure of it," Jim smiled.

Jim always seemed to smile nowadays. Morph chirruped and cuddled against the girl's cheek to comfort her.

"Maybe, but I think I'm better off writing and cleaning," she sighed. Jim's brow furrowed as he watched Silver finish off tying down the longboat and turn to close the hatch.

"Come here, I want to show you something," Jim argued, pulling Alice to her feet and stopping Silver from closing up the hold.

"Jimbo?" Silver grunted as Jim pulled Alice over toward the boat and pointed to the floor where the ropes were tied tight.

"Untie it, and I'll get this one."

"But Jim –"

"Do it," he ordered and Alice did as she was told. "Now grab this rope with me. Come on, gently now. No pressure," he said. Alice grabbed a rope from the side of the longboat as she and Jim began to slowly pull it over the opening in the floor showing the stars.

"I'll be," Silver laughed under his breath as he watched Alice's nervous fingers become more confident with Jim's reassuring voice.

"Good, you're doing great, Alice," Jim smiled. Alice flashed him a grin as well. "Okay, now I'm going to leap over to the other catwalk to untie those ends. You keep a steady hold on this rope, understand?" Jim asked as he came to Alice's side and placed a gentle hand over hers.

"I understand," she agreed as Jim leapt to the other side and untied it so that the longboat began to lower into the sky.

"Alice, yeh did it this time," Silver exclaimed, walking over and patting her on the back.

"I did it," Alice whispered in shock before releasing a small laugh. "I did it!"

"I think we can board, Silver," Jim grinned.

"So we can. Hop in yeh two. Now yer gonna learn ta drive it," Silver winked. Alice bit her lip as Morph dove into Silver's pocket for the ride. The three of them scrambled into the longboat right as the cables snapped above and they fell into space.

Alice gasped in horror, clinging to Silver's fleshy arm as tight as she could.

"Whoa, Alice, look now. I got teh sail up. Nothing to be afraid of," he announced, gesturing to the sail he had unfurled catching the starlight and powering the engines. Alice looked around to see that they were merely floating in space. The engines were running but not revved. Jim sat on Alice's other side.

"Come on, Alice, this is fun!" he nudged her but Alice let out a squeak and shook her head.

"Don't like heights," she mumbled into Silver's jacket.

"We won't let yeh fall. We'll take it nice an' slow. Switch places wit Jimbo so I can teach 'im first." Alice did as she was told. Jim's whole face seemed to light up as Silver began the task of teaching the boy the controls. He placed the directional stick, which controlled the tiller, in Jim's hands and told him to go forward.

It wasn't a smart move.

Jim ignored Silver's protest as he tapped the buttons on the control panel for maximum speed. It wasn't long before they were shooting out into space as fast as the little longboat could go while Silver and Alice were towed along for the ride. Alice was screaming as she clung to Jim so tightly his circulation was being cut off.

He laughed as he spotted a comet far out and took off toward the shooting star with a tail of blue gas and comet dust trailing behind it.

"Jimbo, lad, take it easy for Alice," Silver warned, but Jim didn't believe in taking it easy. He lived and breathed the feeling of flying.

"Nothing she can't handle," he shrugged, pulling them into the comet's tail. Alice hadn't looked up yet from Jim's shoulder so he gave her a little nudge. "Alice, look," he pointed. Alice did so carefully. Her eyes widened as she sat bolt upright and looked around.

She was awestruck. Riding in the tail of a comet? It seemed like a dream! A wonderful dream! For a moment she forgot they were barreling through space in a murderous machine with an adrenaline junky cabin boy as captain. Very slowly she let her hands release Jim's arm as the feeling of freedom completely enveloped her.

Her smile grew until she was sure her face would crack. Her fingers seemed to float on the blue dust that swirled through her hair and clung to her clothing. Jim noticed and grinned. She was enjoying it. He spotted Silver's proud expression as well and he couldn't contain the raw emotion welling up inside him. For the first time in what felt like years, he felt at ease with his surroundings.

He felt a seed of confidence sew itself in his chest and grow until it was a flower blooming bright and beautiful. Silver was proud of him and Alice liked being with him. Jim had been so used to people looking at him in disappointment, in disgust, in disregard. He almost forgot what it felt like to have someone enjoy hanging out with him.

Alice put her hands back down as Jim steered the longboat out of the comet's tail and back toward the ship. Confusion clouded his mind for a moment when he felt his heart leap into his throat by the way Alice's hand had grabbed his.

"Well I'll be, Jimbo, if I could maneuver a skiff like t'at when I was yer age, they'd be bowing in the streets when I walked by taday!" Silver exclaimed as Jim powered down the engines and the three of them began trying to pull the longboat back into the hatch. Jim chuckled, sneaking a peak at Alice who was struggling with her knots again.

He tied his own knot before stumbling to her side.

"I don't know," he shrugged, answering Silver's question as he took Alice's hands and helped her tie it tight. Alice looked up to meet his gaze. Jim felt his breathing speed up and realized that he hadn't let go of her hands yet. In embarrassment he released her fingers and sat down. Alice smiled and sat next to him as Jim cleared his throat.

"They weren't exactly singing my praises when I left home," he shrugged. Morph flew out of Silver's pocket and settled down on Silver's shoulder while the cyborg wiped his face with a handkerchief and released a contented sigh. Alice relaxed as well, but Jim wasn't about to drop the subject. "But I'm going to change all of that."

"Are yeh now? How so?" Silver asked, smiling his toothy grin toward the young lad.

"Uh, I got some plans," Jim smirked, leaning back and closing his eyes. "I'm gonna make people see me a little differently."

Alice cocked her head at Silver's grave expression.

"O-o-o. Sometimes plans go astray," he cautioned.

"Not this time," Jim grinned, adjusting his position but still keeping his eyes closed. Silver's brow furrowed as he lifted his mechanical leg up onto one of the wooden benches in the boat.

Alice watched him in interest as he attempted to tighten a certain bolt with no luck. He grunted unsuccessfully until Morph chirped and morphed into a wrench.

"Oh, t'ank yeh Morphy," Silver smiled, taking the floating wrench and using it to tighten up his leg. Alice cocked her head. She knew Silver perhaps could not be trusted due to Billy Bones' warning, but Alice had grown very fond of the old cyborg. She knew Jim had too. It was almost as if Silver acted like a father. Alice had never had a father but she was sure if she did he'd act like Silver.

"Silver?" Alice started, making Jim crack open his eyes. "How did you…lose your limbs?" she asked, trying not to offend the man. Silver held up his cyborg hand with a sad expression and flexed the fingers.

"Yeh give up a few t'ings, chasin' a dream," he replied, his voice just above a whisper. Alice felt sympathy for him. She'd never wish such a thing on anyone.

"Was it worth it?" Jim inquired, entering the conversation with his own concerned look. Silver cracked a tiny smile and lumbered to their side of the boat before sitting in between them and wrapping his arms around the two of them.

"I'm hoping it tis Jimbo. I most surely am." Silver couldn't seem to contain his chuckle as the two kids looked at him like delighted children. He saw Jim's eyes very subtly slide toward Alice who was running her finger through her hair, brushing away the remaining comet dust. The boy's smile grew making Silver smirk.

The cyborg cleared his throat.

"The two o' yeh best be off teh bed. We got a long day o' barnacle picking tomorrow," he laughed at their sudden crestfallen faces. Alice groaned and was the first person to get out of the boat.

"Fine, I'll go get some sleep," she yawned and left the room. Silver turned back to Jim to see the boy still watching the door as if he hoped she'd come back in. Silver laughed making Jim jump.

"Got an eye out for Alice I see?"

"What?" Jim asked, snapping out of his reverie. "I don't know what you're talking about," he retorted, crossing his arms.

"Jimbo, tis not any o' me business but if yeh are 'aving feelings for teh lass…" Silver trailed off, a sneaky grin on his face. Jim's own cheeks faded to scarlet but he retained his emotionless look.

"No. No way! We're friends," he argued.

"Really?" Silver snickered causing Jim to roll his eyes.

"Really. We're just friends," he grumbled and leapt out of the boat before rushing out of the room. Silver smiled turning to Morph who looked up sleepily.

"What are we gonna do with these kids, Morphy?"

* * *

Silver noticed the attitude change immediately. Ever since the longboat ride Jim seemed to take an intense interest in Alice. He helped her out when she needed it, reassured her, always smiled or straightened up in her presence, and his cheeks seemed to have become a permanent pink color.

Jim was noticing the change too. His first friendship was turning into an infatuation. He tried to put himself down. He told himself she'd never like a delinquent, he told himself she'd never be interested in a guy like him.

But no matter what he did, whenever Alice entered the room his heart was sending up that familiar flare often causing Jim to do ridiculous things when he didn't mean to. She was the only person, except for Silver, who Jim could really talk to.

"Jimbo, pass me them potatoes would yeh?" Silver called over his shoulder one afternoon when the three of them were preparing lunch in the galley.

"Sure," Jim replied, grabbing the potatoes and tossing them to Silver who caught them easily and chopped them up. Alice and he were sitting next to each other peeling the potatoes as fast as they could for the dish Silver was preparing.

"Is it me or is this knife dull?" Alice asked, attempting to remove the skin around her own vegetable. Jim shifted closer, feeling her shoulder rub against his.

"No, the knife's not dull. Just position your hand like this," he breathed, letting his hand slide over hers and gently move her fingers over the hilt. Alice remained deathly still. She was afraid if she moved the moment would end. Even though Jim had positioned her hand correctly, his fingers continued to slide through hers, loving the feeling of her warm skin against his.

To the surprise of both, Alice dropped the knife having Jim's hand replace it. The two cabin kids suddenly seemed to notice their close proximity for they blushed a deep scarlet. Jim pulled back, retrieving her knife and returning to his work in humiliation.

Alice sat frozen in place for a long moment, not understanding the emotion building up inside her. A smile crept across her features as the feeling of being swept away washed over her. She knew what this was supposed to be. She had read about it in fairytales. Love. But she never knew love could feel this powerful, and the idea that she was in love scared her. What if Jim didn't love her back?

The day seemed to pass by in a swirl of colors and lightheadedness after that. Whenever Jim so much as entered a room it seemed to light up her day. At last Silver sent the exhausted teenagers to bed, but Alice did not want to go to bed. She hadn't had any time to work on her stories as of late. She hadn't thought much about them because she didn't feel the need to escape anymore.

However, tonight she did need a place she was sure of. Her emotions were getting out of control. She took her writing and crept up on deck where she sat down near the bow to begin. It only took her a few minutes before she was scribbling words down on the paper the way she always did. She became so absorbed in her work she didn't notice the figure approaching her until it cleared its throat. Alice jumped in alarm making Jim chuckle.

"Sorry I scared you. Writing again?"

"Yes," Alice admitted bashfully.

"Can I take a look?" Jim asked. Alice nodded and passed over the paper as he read it in the dim darkness of ever-present space. After a while he looked up.

"This is really good," he admitted. Alice smiled.

"You think so?"

"Yeah," he said, handing the papers back to her. For a moment they were silent.

"I brought a book with me too," she whispered, sliding the book toward him that she had set down earlier.

"Which book?" Jim frowned. Alice set it on her lap and waited for Jim to read the fancy title. The boy's eyes lit up. "Treasure Planet!" he laughed. "Wow! I didn't know you brought it with you."

"I thought it was appropriate," Alice chuckled. Jim fondled the cover as if the book were a breakable dish.

"Can I –? Can we –?"

"Read it?"

"Yeah."

"Definitely." Both of them laughed as they settled down together and flipped open the book. It was a holo-book: a book that projected holographic images into the air while a voice narrated in the background.

A gentle lullaby could be heard playing in the background as an image of the Etherium was shown.

_"On the clearest of nights…"_ the narrator began. It didn't take long before the two of them were absorbed in the legend of Treasure Planet like excited children once again. Alice yawned as her eyes drooped. She wanted to stay awake for Jim's sake, but her body was hit with a wave of fatigue and she was out like a light.

Jim was startled when he felt her head fall against his shoulder and bury in the crevice of his neck. Her sweet smelling shampoo surrounded him and nearly made him choke on the air as she slept against him, seeming so peaceful under the starlight. The narrator's voice continued but Jim wasn't listening anymore. He was shifting closer to the girl next to him as he rested his cheek against her hair and smiled.

His own eyes fluttered closed and his hand reached out to find hers. When he was pleased with his position he allowed his mind to drift to sleep with the words in the book nearly coming to an end.

_"There are nights when the winds of the Etherium, so inviting in their promise of flight and freedom, make one's spirit soar!"_

**A/N: Sorry if this chapter is a little long, I wanted to really bring out their blossoming relationship, hope you guys are still enjoying this :D**


	5. The Supernova

_**Chapter 5**_

_**The Super Nova**_

She was dreaming a dreadful dream. It was like no dream she had ever had before.

_She was standing in her boarding school again, staring at the stone walls that seemed to be getting higher and the iron gate that seemed to be growing thicker. _

_ "Let me out!" she screamed, running to the gate and grabbing it in a futile attempt to escape. "Let me out, Jim help me!" But Jim could not hear her. Alice spotted Silver and Jim on the other side of the gate but they walked on laughing as if everything was fine. They were forgetting her. They didn't want her anymore, just like her parents._

_ Alice ran for the walls, but they had grown hundreds of feet tall casting her into shadow as hands reached out and grabbed her. _

_ "Help me! Please, Jim!" she pleaded, but the boy did not seem to care. _

_ "You're too quiet," he finally sneered. The black hands consumed her as she twitched and cried out. _

"Alice!" Alice sat bolt upright in horror as the feeling of those hands grabbing her and pulling her away stuck to her like acid eating away her skin. Her heart was pounding as she noticed Jim sitting next to her. Before the boy could open his mouth she grabbed him in a tight hug as tears sprang from her eyes.

"Don't let go. Don't forget me," she pleaded as she broke down against him. Jim seemed taken aback by her sudden outburst of emotion but he wrapped his arms around her all the same to return the hug. He sat there for a while as Alice sniffed and pressed her face into his shirt. Her fingers dug into his back as if he were a lifeline making Jim wince but ignore it.

He had no idea what she had been dreaming about, but whatever it was it hadn't been pleasant.

"I'm right here, Alice," Jim soothed, giving her an awkward pat on the back. He had never had a girl cry against him like this before and he was afraid he'd do the wrong thing. In fact, nobody had ever come to Jim for help. He had always been the one seeking the guidance. For a long time she clung to him. Even when she stopped crying she held on tighter than usual.

Jim cleared his throat after a while and gently pushed her back.

"Do you want to tell me what it was about?" he asked. Alice's eyes were puffy and red while her nose was running and her cheeks flushed. She wiped her nose on her sleeve before shrugging her shoulders and seeming to draw her limbs closer to herself.

"I was trapped in my boarding school and the walls were getting higher and you were on the other side and you wouldn't help me get out," she rasped, not meeting his gaze. Jim looked at her, his expression sympathizing with her sadness.

"Well, we're not at your boarding school. We're in space, and I'd help you get out if you ever were trapped," Jim said. Alice wiped her eyes as a small smile grazed her lips.

"Thanks. I'm sorry for crying."

"No problem," Jim shrugged as if the large wet spot on his shirt didn't bother him. "You ready to start work? I'm sure Silver's got some more pain and torture brewing for us." Alice released a minor chuckle.

"He's always got something up his sleeve. Let's go," she agreed, grabbing her book and papers as they headed to the galley. Silver did have something brewing for the teenagers, but it wasn't half as bad as the past few days. In fact the cyborg seemed to be easing up on the workload. They were taught how to prepare an assortment of dishes that day as well as how to measure out a certain amount of dry or liquid ingredients. Morph even helped by turning into cups of flour or tablespoons of wheat germ.

They prepared a spectacular lunch and dinner for the crew. Jim and Alice spent the evening meal laughing together or coming up with games to play while the rest of the crew shared their own priceless stories.

"So flip your hand," Jim ordered. Alice did so right as Jim slapped it.

"You cheated!" she accused as Jim smirked.

"Can't believe everything you hear." She reached forward to grab his wrist when she and Jim's fingers slipped apart due to the ship letting out a tremendous moan and jerking to the side as if something had knocked it off course.

Jim and Alice's game came to an abrupt halt as bowls and pots were tossed everywhere, ingredients spilled all over the floor and the spacers were caught in a tangled heap of limbs. Alice slid into Jim sending the two of them to the floor of the galley.

"What teh devil?" Silver cursed as he ran up the stairs with the others right behind him. Jim pulled Alice up as they followed their crewmates up on deck to see a horrific sight.

The sky was lit up from the fiery explosion occurring directly in front of them as chunks of rock were sent speeding toward them.

"Good heavens!" Doppler gasped as he ran to the helm and pulled a spyglass from his pocket, training it on the wreck. "The star Pellucid…it's gone supernova!"

"Evasive action Mr. Turnbuckle!" Amelia ordered their helmsman as the squid like alien spun the wheel hard.

"Jim!" Alice gasped in complete shock, but Jim was already thinking ahead. He followed Silver toward a set of wooden poles and a pile of rope just as Mr. Arrow ordered the spacers to secure their lifelines. Alice's heart was beating a mile a minute. This wasn't part of the plan! This was never supposed to happen!

She scrambled after Jim as her hands trembled with the worn material. She couldn't think straight. Fear was surging through her veins making her adrenaline spike. She took a deep breath and cleared her mind long enough to tie her waist to the pole.

"Mr. Arrow, secure those sails!" Amelia yelled, pointing to the sails that were being punctured by the rocky debris.

"Secure all sails! Bring them down men!" Arrow ordered the crew. Alice felt her stomach tie up in tight knots as she followed Silver and Jim to the bow.

"We have to go up there?" she squeaked out.

"We have to get the sails tied," Jim explained.

"I can't," Alice choked out, her mouth going dry. "I can't! I can't do this! Not up there, not now, not ever!"

"Then stay put," Jim ordered as he followed Silver up. Alice cursed herself. Why must it always be her? Why was she always the coward? She bit her lip and pulled herself, with trembling hands, up onto the bow. The wind was tossing her hair every which way and as she pulled it out of her face she was able to spot her biggest challenge yet. The bow seemed to be a never-ending beam that got thinner and thinner the farther out you went. She watched Jim and Silver shield their faces as they inched out toward the jib and flying jib, the sails located at the bow.

She wasn't even suspended over open air yet but the sight was dizzying and she did not trust her weathered lifeline to catch her if she toppled off the ship. Swallowing her pride, Alice leapt off the bow, too terrified to go any farther. Later it would haunt her, but at the moment she felt safer on deck.

Meanwhile Jim and Silver were being buffeted by hot blasts of the solar wind as they tried to secure the two sails on the bow. Their main gunner, Meltdown, was doing all he could to destroy bigger asteroids as they flew toward the ship. He was doing an excellent job of it too, but Jim kept his mind focused on his own task. He planted his feet and knotted the rope just as Silver had taught him.

As Jim was securing his sail a shout of terror reached his ears. He spun around just in time to see a small meteor Meltdown had missed singe through Silver's lifeline causing the cyborg to lose his balance.

"Agh!" Silver yowled as he tipped off the boom. Jim's heart thundered in his chest as he ran toward the rope sliding over the bow faster than a snake.

"Silver!" he cried, grabbing the rope with both hands and pulling the man back onto the bow just before he was lost to the endless depths of space below. Silver gasped for air as he placed a grateful hand on Jim's shoulder.

"T'anks lad," he puffed. Jim smiled, helping him onto the secure surface of the bow when something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Silver and Jim looked up in horror as an enormous molten meteor charged toward the ship. The chunk of rock was so big the Legacy looked like a pebble compared to the monstrosity.

Meltdown fired desperately at the asteroid that would hammer their ship into splinters but no matter what the man did the asteroid did not break down into smaller chunks.

The heat began to scorch Jim's arms as he threw them in front of his face in an unsuccessful attempt to protect himself. Just when he was sure they'd burn up any second the heat began to reside causing Jim and Silver to lower their arms in shock.

The asteroid was being pulled backwards by some intangible force. Jim blinked hard as the asteroid moved away to further reveal the severity of their situation.

"Capteen! The star!" Onus cried from his post in the crow's nest. Delbert and Amelia shared a look at the helm as Delbert adjusted his spectacles on the bridge of his nose.

"It's devolving into a – a black hole!" he gasped.

"We're being pulled in!" Turnbuckle cried.

Alice stood near the lifelines in panic. She had learned all about black holes and the nasty things that could happen if you got too close. It almost seemed too horrifying to accept. Black holes could be the center point of whole galaxies. They could even seem to completely slow down time the closer you got when in reality you were still traveling at a constant speed.

Not only that, but if you got pulled too close your body would begin to stretch. Your feet would be pulled in faster than the rest of your body like a piece of taffy. Your muscles would rip, bones shatter, tendons, arteries, and veins unwind like coils of rope. Then, even after you had been pulled to pieces, the molecules making you up would split and tear.

It did not seem like a pleasant way to die.

Alice grabbed at the main mast in horror as a solar wind shot from the black hole and bombarded the ship causing Silver and Jim to topple onto the deck while climbing down from the bow.

"Blast these waves! They're deucedly erratic!" Amelia growled as she took the wheel.

"No Captain! They're not erratic at all! There'll be one more in precisely forty seven point two seconds followed by the biggest undulation of them all!" Delbert called from the straining dials near the wheel.

"Of course! Brilliant Doctor! We'll ride that last undulation out of here!" Amelia grinned, wearing a crazy yet determined expression on her face. Alice kept her face pressed into the wooden mast in terror as silent tears escaped her eyes. She didn't want to die here. Not here, not now. She didn't want to die before she had a chance to live.

She felt a tap on her shoulder and spun around to see Jim grabbing her hand reassuringly.

"All sails secured Captain!" Arrow called up to Amelia.

"Good man! Now release them immediately!" the feline ordered almost gleefully. Arrow looked perplexed but he didn't question the logic.

"Aye Captain," he said before turning to the spacers coming down from the shrouds. "You heard her, men! Unfurl those sails!"

"What?" Birdbrain Mary demanded. She was a mean-spirited and loud-mouthed alien with a disturbing head attached to legs that acted quite like a heron's. The one who had told Scroop to dice Jim when the arachnid had thrown him against the mast those many days ago.

"But we just finished –" Moron, the body that had tormented Jim their first day, started.

"Tying 'em down!" Oxy, the head of Moron, finished.

"Make up your blooming mind!" Birdbrain Mary added as they began the long ascent. Jim looked at Alice. He searched her gaze before giving her hand one last squeeze and running toward the shrouds. Alice watched him go before pressing her face back against the wooden mast and squeezing her eyes shut, refusing to look death in the eye.

Jim had grabbed onto the shroud when Amelia called him back.

"Mr. Hawkins, make sure all lifelines are secured good and tight!"

"Aye, Aye Captain!" Jim saluted as he gritted his teeth and ran toward the lifelines. Determination set in as he tightened all of his crewmember's ropes lingering on Alice's. "Lifelines secured, Captain!" Jim hollered once he had finished.

"Very good!" Amelia nodded as Jim located Silver coming back down the shrouds. The boy started for the cyborg before he stopped and spotted Alice hugging the mast in sheer terror. If he was going to die at least he'd die with her. He ran over to Alice. He wanted to tell her his feelings, but the words stuck in his throat.

"Captain! The last wave, here it comes!" Delbert shouted.

"Hold onto your lifelines, gents, it's going to be a bumpy ride!" Amelia told the crew as the darkness began to swallow them whole.

Alice felt a tiny tingle in her legs as her toes began to ache. Panic gripped her heart like a dead hand when suddenly Jim was covering her, pressing himself against her like a human shield as he closed his eyes and dug his cheek into her hair. Alice took a deep breath when Silver came over as well and provided an even bigger shield for the two kids.

Alice reached out her hand feeling Silver's cybernetic fingers close over hers. She squeezed her eyes shut as the tug got worse. Just when she was sure Amelia's plan would fail a solar wave even bigger than the last caught the sails sending the energy charging down to the engines.

With a thunder-like roar the engines released a wave of fiery solar power propelling the ship far into Hubble Deep Field. Alice blinked when cool Etherium air touched her limbs. She let go of Silver's hand and lifted her head to see Jim relaxing as well despite his heavy breathing.

The crew gathered beneath the helm and began to cheer and jump up and down relieved they were all alive. Amelia felt shaky but she maintained her calm Captain's air despite the near death experience.

Alice looked at Jim in sudden embarrassment. At the time it seemed like a good idea to stay on deck and hug the mast, but now she was feeling foolish and cowardly. Jim was always so brave. He understood everything far better than Alice and though the young girl didn't speak it, she had begun to feel her confidence slip.

It didn't help when Amelia congratulated Jim on the success of tying down the lifelines as the three joined their crewmates beneath the helm. Alice didn't miss the proud look Silver sent Jim's way. Jim pretended to study his shoes and hide the smile creeping across his lips. Alice hung her head in shame, and a powerful wave of sadness crept up on her. If she couldn't even climb a shroud how did she ever expect to become a spacer?

"All hands accounted for, Mr. Arrow?" Amelia asked, turning to her first mate but finding the sturdy man was nowhere to be seen. Jim looked over his shoulder his smile fading as Scroop stepped forward parting the spacers like a tidal wave. "Mr. Arrow?" Amelia called again, trying to disregard Scroop's presence, but the spider could no longer be ignored.

"I'm afraid," he began in the most heartbreaking voice he could muster, "Mr. Arrow has been lost." Scroop handed Mr. Arrow's hat to Amelia who took it, a look of pure shock and grief exposing itself in her expression. "His-s lifeline was not s-s-secured," Scroop added as an afterthought gazing at Jim who looked mortified. Alice's eyes widened as she stared at her fellow friend.

Everyone turned to look at the cabin boy who had been in charge of the lifelines.

"No, I checked them all!" Jim argued turning and pushing through the spacers. Perhaps Mr. Arrow's lifeline had just snapped. It couldn't be his fault! Jim slid to halt in front of the wooden poles in astonishment. All of the lifelines were still as well secured as ever except for a single post on the end that had no rope attached.

Jim gazed at the wooden post as a feeling of unreserved ruin consumed him.

"I-I did," he stammered, swallowing hard, "I checked them all. They were secure. I swear it!" He turned back toward his crew and Amelia, but the feline only gave him a cold stare making Jim's shoulders slump as the truth finally hit him hard. Mr. Arrow was dead because Jim hadn't secured his lifeline.

Alice looked at her friend in disbelief. Jim was smart and cunning in the heat of a battle. There was no way he'd screw up something like this. It didn't make sense, but Alice's voice stuck in her throat as Amelia started her eulogy.

"Mr. Arrow was a –" She stopped to clear her throat. "A fine spacer," she continued. "Finer than most of us could ever hope to be. But he knew the risks as do we all. Resume your posts. We carry on," she concluded turning to head toward her stateroom while the other spacers departed. Jim looked around in panic. He had to hide, had to run far away.

He had done it again. He'd screwed up.

Jim turned to run despite Alice's calls.

"Jim, wait," she pleaded, turning to sprint after him when Silver put a hand on her shoulder.

"Let him go, lass," he muttered. Alice whirled around with dismay plastered on her face.

"He didn't do it. He couldn't have."

"I don't believe he did either, lass, but there's nothin' we can do now."

"He didn't –" Alice muttered as Silver led her back below deck, but once again her voice fell on deaf ears. In this time the young girl failed to notice the secretive smirk Scroop passed Silver, but the cyborg didn't return the expression using Alice as an excuse to focus his attentions elsewhere.

**A/N: Epic-ness! More to come soon guys! :D Once again I wanted to play off of Alice's weaknesses. She used to be sort of mary-sueish but that's what editing is for! And let's face it, if you're afraid of heights you're not just going to suddenly forget that fear in the middle of a galactic storm.**


	6. You've Got the Makings of Greatness

_**Chapter 6**_

"_**You've Got the Makings of Greatness"**_

Jim felt his stomach clench as he sat in the shrouds that night with his loose black jacket hanging off him once again. Over the past few weeks he had shed the coat not wanting to hide, but tonight was a rare occasion. Tonight he never wanted to open up again. He had opened up and for the longest time it had felt as though the sun had finally shown on his face…until he screwed up…again.

Jim's throat tightened as he fought the tears while he played with a piece of weathered rope in his hands. Inside, outside, and pull it tight. It was exactly the way Silver had taught him, so then how had he failed? He was sure he had checked all of the lifelines.

He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to remember. He'd triple checked Alice's that was for sure. Is that where he'd gone wrong? Had he checked Alice's one too many times and forgotten to check Arrow's? Jim opened his eyes and stared at the empty star field in front of him. No, he had checked Arrow's lifeline.

Then how had the man died? Jim cursed under his breath feeling a cold chill stick to his skin. It was the same chill that had plagued him ever since his father's fateful departure. He let a glare seep forth as resentment pulsed through his veins. He resented himself. He resented his life and his failings.

Even when Daniel was around the house he had scarcely said two words to his son, only giving him a pat on the head as he walked past, headed for his room to grumble about work again. Jim had tried so hard to please his father, and cherished every word that fell from the man's lips, but, as Jim believed, he hadn't tried hard enough.

Jim clenched the rope in his fingers. All he ever did was screw up. He hadn't even been able to keep his father around. The young boy looked down studying the piece of twine he had tied into a perfect knot without looking. For a long while he stared at it until a pair of footsteps reached him.

He could see Alice out of the corner of his eye causing him to involuntarily burrow deeper into his coat.

"I brought you some dinner," Alice began. When Jim didn't look at her she held the plate up to him, but the boy continued to gaze out at the passing stars. "I know you didn't do it, Jim."

His reaction was to snort under his breath.

"If you haven't noticed, all of the other lifelines were secured. There's no way you just forgot to tie –"

"You don't understand, do you?" Jim interrupted, turning to look at her with a steely glare making Alice cringe. "What part of killing Mr. Arrow don't you understand? I'm a murderer, Alice! Just one big mistake! This isn't one of your stupid fantasies okay?" he snapped, jumping down in front of her. Alice took a step back.

"I know it's not –"

"People die in real life, Alice! Welcome to reality where there are no knights in shining armor or princesses locked in towers!"

"I know it's not a fantasy, Jim!" Alice shouted over him, seething with her own well of anger. She matched his glare. "Don't you think I realize that I can never escape the universe? At least it's a way for me to pretend!"

"Pretend what? Escape from what? Your parents? Because they're gone, Alice! They didn't want you around, nobody has ever wanted you around," Jim sneered making Alice wince as though he had physically hit her. She dropped the plate of dinner hearing it shatter. Tears welled in her eyes but she bit her lip as her look darkened.

"At least you have parents! At least you have a home!" Jim opened his mouth to interrupt but Alice stopped him. "You've got everything, Jim," she continued in a wavering voice. "You've got a mother and a home, or you had one, and you're smart and brave and handsome! It takes you under five minutes to learn the tricks of the trade whereas the only thing I'm good at is writing! Don't you think it sucks knowing that the one friend you have isn't really a friend anymore because he's ten times smarter than you?

"I don't have a home, I don't have friends, I don't have parents, and all I can do is hug a mast like a bloody coward when danger comes around the corner. Oh, but when I try to comfort you you throw it back in my face. Fine, I am an orphan, and I am quiet, and I do write to escape and I'm sorry this offends you," Alice spat as she turned to leave before Jim could see the real pain on her face.

Jim's jaw was hanging open flabbergasted before he turned around and chucked the rope off the side of the ship before pounding his fist against the rail. Now he'd screwed up his relationship with Alice and he had no idea what to do. The fact remained that he'd killed a man and seemed to be falling into his own black hole.

His eyes watered and he dug the heels of his hands into them to stop, but the whimper still escaped just in time for another pair of footsteps to approach. Jim knew who it was just by the steady clunk of the metal peg leg and whirring gears.

Silver let out a casual breath as he leaned on the rail next to Jim. He smoked his pipe for a little while in silence just watching Jim hide his face in his hands. Jim didn't have the heart to tell the man to leave.

"It wasn't yer fault yeh know," Silver started making Jim lock his jaw. When the boy didn't interrupt Silver continued. "Why half teh crew would be spinnin' in tha' black abyss had not –"

"Look, don't you get it?" Jim snarled, matching gazes with the cyborg next to him. "I screwed up, I mean for two seconds I thought that maybe I could do something right but – augh!" Jim turned his back on Silver to lean against one of the masts. "I just – Just forget it. Forget it." His voice broke on the last word as his shoulders slumped.

Silver stared at the fifteen year old boy leaning against the mast like it was the only way to keep him from falling. The cyborg pursed his lips, heartbroken that this was the way Jim felt about himself. Determination kicked in. He would not allow this. His cabin boy was smart, courageous, one of the best kids he'd ever seen taking to the sky, and Silver was unwavering in his decision to make Jim see the light inside him. The cyborg stepped forward and grabbed Jim's shoulder wheeling the boy around.

"Now," he began in a forceful voice. "You listen to me, James Hawkins; you've got the makings of greatness in yeh! But yeh gotta take teh helm and chart yer own course! Stick to it, no matter the squalls! And when the time comes when yeh get the chance ta really test the cut o' yer sails and show what yer made of, well, I hope I'm there catching some of the light comin' off yeh that day," Silver finished with a warm smile and a twinkle in his organic eye.

Jim's throat had constricted during Silver's talk and he was now giving little chest chokes as he sniffed and blinked trying to erase the tears but they came anyway. Nobody had ever said anything like that to him. On Montressor the only thing he ever heard was the whispers behind his back about "That Jim Hawkins, the boy going nowhere". Jim couldn't stop the tears this time, not when someone, for the first time in his life, believed in him. He let his head fall against Silver's belly causing the cyborg to stiffen, but when Jim's tears turned into sobs Silver felt his heart go out to the lad.

"There, there Jimbo tis alright lad," he chuckled, patting Jim's back before embracing the boy in a firm hug. "It's alright," Silver whispered, closing his own eyes as Jim clung to him until the boy's tears ran out. "Now, uh, Jim," Silver cleared his throat, giving the boy a gentle nudge backwards. "I best be getting back to me watch, and you best be apologizing to a certain lass that's a wee bit weepy down in me galley."

"I made her cry?" Jim whispered, his eyes glued to the deck.

"Yeh know she called yeh handsome, Jimbo," Silver pointed out. "Handsome, smart, and courageous. Not many ladies are willing ta say such a thing so straightforward like."

"Handsome?" Jim grinned, a dreamy look coming over his face despite the night's events. "I better go make it up to her," he nodded, heading off to the galley but not before passing Silver a genuine smile.

The cyborg waved his hands as if to tell Jim to go find Alice. When the boy had disappeared Silver lowered his hands as a troubled look came over his face.

"Gettin' in too deep here, Morphy," he sighed, looking at Morph who had wandered over to rest on his shoulder. "Next t'ing yeh know, they'll be sayin' I've gone soft." Morph gave a little chirp and nuzzled Silver's cheek causing the cyborg to chuckle before turning to continue his job of being lookout.


	7. Drizzle With Love

_**Chapter 7**_

_**Drizzle With Love**_

Jim took a shaky step down into the dimly lit galley. Food was spilled everywhere along with plates, pots, and other cooking utensils. A bang interrupted Jim's thoughts as he heard Alice grumble near the cupboards in the back. Jim stepped forward to see her wrestling with a cupboard that was near bursting from the amount of pots and pans.

"Close!" Alice ordered the straining door, but a minute later it popped back open sending the pots and pans spilling out over the floor in a loud crash. Alice let out an angry yell as she looked at the mess around her. She kicked a pot before sinking to the ground and burying her face in her arms. "Not my fault," she whimpered beginning to cry as Jim, full of regret, came to her side.

The girl's shoulders shook from her silent sobs, not noticing that Jim had knelt down next to her. He reached out and gingerly put a hand on her shoulder making Alice jump in surprise. When she saw it was Jim she turned away.

"What do _you_ want?" she growled.

"To say I'm sorry," Jim said, remorse forcing him not to meet her eyes. "I was a jerk, Alice. I didn't mean to say those things."

"Well you did," she spat, wiping her eyes. Jim let out a little breath. She wasn't going to accept his apology so easily. He sat down amongst the pots next to her.

"I've always just felt like I screw everything up," he began quietly. "I guess I never really thought about the good in my life until you came along." Jim paused for a moment to swallow. "And I guess I never realized how bad I was acting until you pointed it out. I mean, my dad leaving just–just sort of broke down the walls, or I suppose you could say it built them because of me being so negative and guarded all the time."

Alice still hadn't said anything, but she had turned to look at him.

"I didn't mean to make fun of you because you have no parents. I didn't mean to make fun of your talents either. So, I'm sorry," he breathed, "for everything." Alice blinked, but her frown remained.

"Why apologize? It's not like anyone wants me around anyway," she mocked his words, grabbing a wooden spoon close by and throwing it across the room. Her eyes filled with tears again as she let out a little gasp and buried her face in her knees, unable to stop her sobs. Jim lowered his head in shame.

"I didn't mean that," he whispered. "I want you around, Alice, I do." Alice shook her head and scooted away from him as he tried to reach out to her again.

"Don't touch me. From the moment we met I knew you hated me. Don't pretend you care," she choked out, raising her head just a bit for Jim to see her wet eyes covered by her dark lashes and her pink nose.

"That was because I didn't know you, Alice. I didn't know you the way I know you now. And I'm happy I did get to know you, because you've been there for me, Alice," Jim said, reaching over and taking one of her hands. Alice didn't pull away which Jim took as a good sign. "You don't know how glad I am that I did get to know you, because you're great, Alice. You really are a great friend, and I've been so stupid. I'm so sorry. I care. I do care about you, and I want you around. I don't ever want you to leave," Jim finished, squeezing her hand. He let out a little breath, embarrassed he had said so much. Alice stared at his helpless expression gazing at the floor and squeezed his hand in return.

Jim looked up in surprise catching her eye and feeling his face heat up as he curled his fingers between hers. Alice sniffed and wiped her eyes with her other hand before she passed him a small smile. As if on instinct both of them leaned in closer.

"You're forgiven," she whispered. Jim's own familiar half smile appeared as he lifted his hand to push a piece of her hair behind her ear. For a moment his heart nearly beat out of his chest as his hand lingered against her cheek.

"Um," he cleared his throat, pulling away as both teenagers flushed. "Uh, we should probably clean this up."

"Yeah, that'd be a good idea," Alice agreed as Jim helped her to her feet.

"Really, I am sorry about the things I said to you."

"It's okay," Alice sighed, rubbing her eyes with one hand, her other still clutching Jim's.

"Er, Alice, you can let go now," Jim blushed, nodding to their hands.

"Oh, right," she stammered, releasing him and taking a step back. "Let's just forget about tonight. I don't – I don't want to remember any of it."

"Do I have to forget the part where you called me handsome?" Jim smirked, a mischievous glint entering his eye making Alice whirl around, her face a bright scarlet.

"I-I didn't call you handsome," she spluttered, grabbing a pot and handing it to Jim who was stacking them into neat piles.

"Yeah you did."

"I did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Alright alright, so you didn't call me handsome but it makes me wonder why Silver also heard you say such a thing," Jim snickered. Alice sent him a glare.

"I don't know what either of you are talking about. I think you need to restrain your ego, Jim."

"That's cold."

"At least I'm not falsely accusing people of saying things they didn't."

"Okay, I get it. I'll back off," Jim chuckled as he and Alice finished picking up the pots before moving on to the food spilled all over the floor. As they worked Alice couldn't help but continue to sneak glances at the boy working beside her. Her heart was thumping a mile a minute. She hadn't meant to call him handsome, it had just slipped out.

Jim, on the other hand, was at war with his mind. She had called him handsome. He was sure. She just didn't want to admit it, but why? Did she like him the way he liked her? Was it an accident and she really hadn't meant to call him handsome?

Jim frowned before turning his head to look at Alice trying to dispose of the flour that had spilled all over the floor.

"Hey listen, um," he started, feeling his palms sweat. Alice looked at him curiously. "Y-you look pretty tonight too, just so you know." Jim turned away internally slapping himself. Alice felt her stomach twist into knots.

"Thank you," she mumbled. She and Jim caught each other's eye before both of them looked away again. The rest of the night was spent working in silence. It was very late when both of them finished up and turned to head to bed. "Maybe Silver will give us the day off tomorrow," Alice said.

"Not likely," Jim grunted. Alice let out a hushed laugh as they joined their crewmates in the bunk house.

"Good night, Jim," Alice whispered but hesitated. Jim looked at her, confounded for a moment when Alice put a hand on his shoulder, leaned up on her toes and kissed his cheek. Jim's eyes widened, his heart seeming to stop upon contact. When Alice pulled away, withdrawing her hand, she hurried to her hammock and lay down, pretending to be asleep. It was the bravest thing she'd done in all her life and her heart burst with all of the emotions of the day.

Did he like her? She wasn't sure. Should she have done that? Probably not but it felt like the right thing to do. She listened intently and for an entire minute Jim didn't move.

His whole body tingled and warmed despite the chill that usually accompanied the crew's quarters. A smile spread across his lips as he rolled into his hammock and breathed hard through his nose. The two cabin kids had been worrying that they'd lose valuable resting time that night, but now it was all forgotten.

Both teenagers knew they wouldn't get a wink of sleep anyway.


	8. Games in the Galley

_**Chapter 8**_

_**Games in the Galley**_

Although Jim's sleep hadn't been very fulfilling he had managed to doze off a bit here and there and it was only when the dawn came did he really fall into a deep sleep…which was interrupted only a few minutes later by Mr. Snuff's farting tentacles in the bunk above him.

Jim groaned and kicked at the flesh before successfully managing to fall out of bed. He hit the wooden floor with a loud thump and rubbed his face as he sat up and spotted light trickling through the grates in the ceiling. Jim figured they were passing by a distant planet's sun. He pulled off his jacket to allow himself to cool off. His mind immediately wandered to Alice and he instinctively looked at her bunk, as he had done so many other mornings, only to find that it was empty. His face fell but lifted when he thought about the kiss she'd given him the night before. Jim couldn't keep the grin off his face as he reached for his boot just in time to see it hop out of his reach.

"Morph?" Jim yawned as the boot hopped over behind a large trunk one of the spacers had brought with him. The boy stood up and tucked in his shirt as he headed over toward the trunk and sank against it in exhaustion. "Morph knock it off, it's too early for this," he groaned when the Morph boot hopped around behind him and kicked him in the butt sending Jim sprawling. "Ow! Hey, Morph!" Jim snapped as the shape shifter reformed before grabbing Jim's real boot and rushing out of the room.

Jim chuckled as he pulled on his other boot and sprinted after the playful pet.

"Hey come back here!" he ordered.

"Come back here!" Morph mimicked as Jim ran across the main deck in pursuit of his shoe. The boy kept his eyes focused on Morph which is why he didn't spot Alice walking across the deck until, too late, they slid into each other sending both of them to the ground with Jim on top.

The boy nearly went into cardiac arrest by the way his nose was pressed firmly against Alice's and their lips were mere centimeters away. He could lean in just a little bit more and kiss her. They were so close, within seconds he could be kissing the girl he'd come to respect far more than a friend. Jim's mouth dried up as he hesitated. Morph hovered above both of them, pleased that he'd managed to get the love struck teenagers in such a position.

At last Alice cleared her throat.

"I think – well what I mean to say is that you're sort of crushing me to the deck, Jim," she stammered.

"Oh, yeah, sorry about that," Jim apologized scrambling off of her and trying to hide his pink cheeks. Morph came up and dropped the boot in Jim's hands.

"Was Morph being a nuisance again?" Alice chuckled as Morph twirled around her fingers.

"Yes," Jim replied as he pulled on his boot. As if to prove a point Morph blew water in Jim's face before flying off again. "That's it, you little squidge!" Jim laughed, leaping to his feet as he and Alice followed the shape shifter into the galley.

Jim was surprised to find that the place was empty, even Silver wasn't making breakfast yet.

"Do you think he's in here?" Alice asked, a smile lingering on her lips.

"Oh yeah," Jim nodded as he issued for her to be quiet while creeping over toward the purp barrel. Both he and Alice peeked in just in time to see one of the purps peek open an eye.

"Ha! busted!" Jim grinned as he jumped into the barrel and grabbed the blob. Alice couldn't contain her fits of giggles when she heard someone coming down the stairs.

"Quick, it's Silver! I don't want to do chores," Alice whispered to Jim.

"In here," Jim smiled as Alice climbed into the large barrel next to him. Both of them were pressed up against each other, leaving little space for wiggle room. For a moment Jim was uncomfortable in the small space, but because he was so close to Alice his body relaxed. They shared amused looks and waited for Silver to find them in the barrel.

It wasn't just Silver, though, that came down. It was the entire crew with Silver in the lead. Jim and Alice's smiles wavered and they stilled their breathing when Birdbrain Mary spoke.

"Look all we're saying is we're sick of all this waiting."

"There are only four of them left," Hands, an enormous alien with six arms that could crush Jim into a tin can if he wanted to, said.

"We are wanting to move!" Meltdown hissed. Jim and Alice shared nervous looks and they caught their breath when they saw Silver's cyborg arm appear as they looked through a small slit in the barrel.

"We don't move 'til we got the treasure in hand!" he growled.

"I say we kill 'em all now," Scroop hissed, clicking his claws when Silver grabbed the bug by his throat and lifted him into the air.

"An' I say what's decided! Disobey my orders again like dat stunt yeh pulled with Mr. Arrow, and so help me you'll be joining him!" Silver roared, throwing Scroop into the barrel causing Morph to slip out of Jim's hands and float up. The boy grabbed him back still in shock from what he'd heard.

Alice wrapped her arm around his and hugged it tight for comfort.

"S-s-strong talk," Scroop snarled. "But I know otherwise." Jim and Alice cringed as Scroop's claw dug into the barrel obviously looking for a purp. Alice grabbed one and held it up as his claw closed around it and pulled it out.

"You got something ta say, Scroop?" Silver asked warily.

"It's-s's those kids. Me thinks you have a soft spot for them." For a moment Silver looked genuinely nervous as his fellow colleagues all nodded in agreement, but the moment passed as quick as it had come. Alice saw his cyborg eye turn blood red.

"Now mark me, teh lot o' yeh! I care about one t'ing and one t'ing on'y! Flint's trove!" Silver barked. "Yeh think I'd risk it all for the sake of some nose wiping little whelp an' his orphan girl friend?" Jim and Alice both caught their breath in shock. Alice's eyes welled with tears as she and Jim clung to each other for dear life. While Alice pressed her face into Jim's shoulder and his arms hugged her tight to comfort her, he continued to carefully watch the scene in front of him.

"What was it now? Oh, 'you got the makings of greatness in yeh'," Scroop mocked, repeating the conversation Silver had had with Jim the night before. Jim's heart stopped and he winced as Silver snapped back.

"Shut yer yap! I cozied up to those kids ta keep 'em off our scent! But I ain't gone soft –"

"Planet Ho!" Onus called from the crow's nest on deck, abruptly cutting off any further conversations or plotting. Jim watched the pirates' faces turn to ones of glee as they ran from the galley and up onto the deck to get a better look at their destination.

They had made it to Treasure Planet with the crew on the edge of a mutiny. Jim unclasped his fingers as Morph zipped out of the barrel to follow after Silver.

Alice had wiped away her tears, but she didn't let go of Jim. At last she raised her distraught face to look him in the eye. Any other time and Jim would have been excited by their close proximity and the way Alice curled against him, but this wasn't any other time.

"He was our friend," she whispered. Jim could think of another word to substitute for friend but it was too painful to say. He swallowed before slowly getting to his feet. Alice followed suit as the two hopped out of the barrel. Jim rubbed his face, the empty feeling returning.

This wasn't the first time a father had walked out of his life.

He leaned against one of the galley tables for support, accidently bumping a spyglass and sending it rolling a few inches. At last he looked up and met Alice's worried gaze.

"We have to warn the Captain," he said. Alice nodded in silent agreement as she and Jim took off toward the stairs. They were halfway up when both of them froze in their tracks.

"Jimbo? Alice?" Jim and Alice's eyes widened as they backed down the stairs again with Silver following after. The cyborg looked somewhat surprised at seeing the two of them in the galley but his expression was quick to turn into a sly smile. "Playing games, are we?"

Jim and Alice backed up into a table as Silver cornered them there. Both kids wore an expression of complete betrayal but Jim's glare was what really tipped Silver off.

"Yeah," Jim breathed, his voice dark and suspicious just like the day they had first met. "Yeah, we're playing games," he agreed. Alice was too shocked to speak. She had never signed up for a supernova or an adventure with pirates, but surely she should have expected such a thing to happen. They were journeying to the Loot of A Thousand Worlds after all.

Silver rubbed his chin as his cyborg arm twisted behind his back. Alice felt her breathing hitch when she realized what he was switching it to.

"Oh I see," he continued. "Never was much good at games. Always hated ta lose." She heard the pistol behind his back cock and get ready to fire, but something else caught her attention. She spotted Jim's hand groping around the table behind them for a weapon. Alice slid her own hand back and pushed the knife into his fingers. Jim grabbed the hilt with one hand and took her hand with the other.

"Hmm, me too!" Jim yelled, yanking Alice forward as he lunged and jammed the knife right into Silver's mechanical leg. Silver let out a scream of pain as air shot out of the pump Jim had stabbed.

The boy squeezed Alice's hand and pulled her past the cyborg and up the stairs just before Silver's hand had a chance to grab them back. Alice was horrified.

"You stabbed him!"

"Yeah and he was going to kill us!" Jim snapped back as they sprinted up the stairs to the helm and banged into the Captain's stateroom not noticing that Morph had spotted them running and happily hurried after them. Silver limped up the stairs while his mechanical eye swiveled toward Jim, Alice, and Morph slamming the Captain's door.

"Oh blast it all," he hissed, sticking his organic fingers in his mouth and blowing out a high pitched whistle. The crew all looked at him as Silver switched his metal hand to a sword.

"Change of plans, lads! We-move-NOW!" he shouted. Cheers erupted from the pirates as they slid down the shrouds and ran to find weapons. "Hoist our colours, Mr. Onus!" Silver called up to the crow's nest. The six eyed alien saluted.

"Me pleasure, Capteen!" he cackled, tearing down the Naval flag and stringing up the skull and crossbones.

Meanwhile in the Captain's stateroom Jim and Alice had locked the door and were leaning against it out of breath. Amelia and Delbert looked up in shock.

"What is the meaning of this?" their Captain demanded.

"The crew," Alice choked out as Morph zoomed around their heads.

"Captain, we've got a mutiny on our hands," Jim explained. Amelia stood and walked briskly over to her cabinet. She unlocked it quick before reaching inside.

"Pirates on my ship, I'll see they all hang!" she growled, grabbing a pistol, loading it, and tossing it to Delbert who fumbled. "Doctor, familiar with these?"

"Oh I've seen, well I've read about –" Alice scrambled back when Delbert pulled the trigger causing the gun to discharge a laser blast that shattered the globe next to her. Amelia, Jim, and Alice all stared at the Doctor in alarm. "No. No, no I have not," he responded passing the gun over to Alice who gave it a wary look.

"Alice, ever fired a gun?" Amelia asked the girl.

"No."

"Jim?"

"Not a chance."

"Perfect," the feline growled, rolling her eyes as she pulled the map out of her cabinet. "Then it's up to the two of you to defend this map with your lives," she ordered, pressing it into Jim's hands. Jim took it and nodded as Morph examined his reflection in the gold surface of the sphere. He let out a little giggle as Jim shoved the map in his pocket while Amelia passed everyone a laser pistol. The Captain, herself, slung a plasma musket over her shoulder.

Alice reached to unlock the door right when sparks began to fly from the lock. The pirates were melting the metal.

"Um, Captain?" she trembled pointing to the door. Amelia cursed as she took her musket and shot the floor beneath them, melting through the mess of wires and pipes while producing a hole big enough for an individual to slip through.

"This leads below deck," she explained before leaping through the hole followed by Delbert. Jim reached over and took Alice's hand, helping her down before jumping down himself. They did indeed land in a hallway below deck, a hallway Jim recognized led to the longboats. Amelia took off running with Jim and Alice close behind. Delbert tripped several times as he tried to keep up with the rest and eventually landed in a heap in the doorway of the longboat hold.

Amelia could see the pirates already sprinting down the hall toward them. She grabbed Delbert's shirt by the collar and threw him farther into the room before slamming the metal door and melting the lock to seal it in place.

"To the longboats quickly!" she ordered. Jim untied the ropes and leapt in before reaching down and pulling Alice in as well. Delbert grunted in exasperation as he tried to pull himself into the boat while Amelia yanked the switch to open the hatch below.

"You alright?" Jim asked Alice breathlessly. She caught his gaze and grabbed his hand. Jim squeezed it in return as the two of them prepared for the fight about to take place.

Jim spotted the orange laser that was slowly moving around the metal door frame. The pirates were cutting through the metal. Within seconds they'd be in the room. Amelia noticed this as well for she ran toward their boat, did an aerial flip, and loaded her musket right in front of Delbert who looked awestruck.

Jim leaned over the edge of the boat to see if the hatch was close to opening when he felt the map leave his pants' pocket.

"Morph!" Alice shrieked, seeing the protoplasm give a smirk before flying off with the map in his mouth.

"No!" Jim cried as he jumped out of the boat.

"Jim!" Alice yelled right as the pirates broke down the door and ran into the hold, firing away at the little longboat and causing it to rock precariously. Alice ducked and fired blindly over the longboat's side. Her heart was racing, and with so many gun blasts shooting back and forth she couldn't see Morph or Jim.

"Chew on this you puss filled boils!" Amelia shouted as she fired back like a true professional, which, technically, she was. Delbert looked just as nervous as Alice as he fired at the pirates hurrying across the wooden catwalk now. His eyes flickered up in interest when he spotted the enormous metal air conditioner strung up just above the catwalk. Delbert gave Amelia a sideways glance before deciding he'd take the risk. In one fluid motion he sat up, pushed his spectacles up the bridge of his nose, and pulled the trigger.

Amelia and Alice watched in shock as the air conditioner disconnected from the ceiling and tumbled onto the catwalk, shattering the wood into splinters and causing the pirates to yell out as they fell through the still opening hatch and toward the planet far below.

A silence settled around them for a few moments.

"Did you actually aim for that?" Amelia asked, looking at the Doctor with a new sense of respect.

"You know actually I did," he retorted haughtily even though his expression was just as shocked as hers.

"Duck!" Alice warned as the next wave of pirates entered the hold. The three of them stooped down as more shots were fired. Silver limped over the threshold behind his comrades. Alice snuck a peek over the side of the boat and saw him grab the lever to close the hatch.

"No," she breathed, but the cyborg smirked before pushing the lever up with his mechanical hand. Within seconds the hatch below them began to close.

"Blast it!" Amelia snarled before looking up at the cables that held their boat in place. "Doctor, when I say now, shoot out the forward cable, I'll take this one," she ordered as Delbert nodded. Alice looked around the hold in panic. If they shot the cables they'd hit the hatch but it'd leave just enough room for them to tip and slide through the opening.

"What about Jim?" she demanded, but over all of the chaos the Doctor and the Captain made no indication that they heard her. Alice swallowed her growing terror. If they couldn't hear her, perhaps she had to take matters into her own hands. She rolled to the other side of the boat and jumped down on the other catwalk. Alice ducked behind the rows of longboats as she ran toward the entrance and the lever that was currently unoccupied.

The pirates were absorbed in their attack and Silver was limping down another walkway headed straight toward Jim. Alice gasped as she saw Morph hovering between the two with the map still in his mouth.

"Morph, come here, boy," Jim cooed, patting his leg and inching forward.

"Morphy come here," Silver whistled as he began inching toward Morph as well. Jim clenched his teeth but forced a smile as he focused on the little pink blob before him.

"Morph, bring it here."

"Morphy, come to your dad."

Morph looked between the two helplessly. Jim saw the protoplasm hesitate and he frowned.

"Morph!"

"Morph here!" Silver ordered, impatience entering his voice as well.

"Morph, come!"

"Morphy!"

"Morph!"

As if in answer Morph dove into a pile of rope between the two. Silver scrambled forward but his leg gave out and he toppled to the ground. The cyborg looked up just in time to see Jim grabbing the map from the rope. The boy shot him a look before taking off down the catwalk.

Silver switched his arm to a gun and pointed it at Jim's back getting ready to fire. He let his gears put pressure on the trigger. All he had to do was fire.

One shot.

One shot and the map was his.

His cybernetic eye focused on Jim like a target and he…

Hesitated.

Silver growled under his breath as he put down his gun and his eye switched out of his targeting mode.

Jim, on the other hand, had no idea any of this was going on as he ran for the longboat. He shoved the map safely back in his pocket and was about to pull himself into the longboat when a scream reached his ears turning his blood to ice. He spun around to see Alice being grabbed by two of the pirates. It appeared she had been trying to reach for the lever controlling the longboat hatch. The ruffians snickered at their hostage as Amelia and Delbert prepared to shoot out the cables.

Jim had a choice.

Save Alice or save himself.

"Doc!" Jim cried causing Delbert to look up. "Doc, they've got Alice!" Delbert fumbled with his gun as he turned to fire at the pirates but Amelia stopped him.

"You could risk killing her," she exclaimed. Jim had taken out his own weapon and was running toward them as they attempted to pull her out of the room. Alice shrieked, twisting and squirming as they dragged her back.

"Alice, hang on!" Jim ordered, but there was no time for Alice to hang on. It was now or never and she knew. Although fear was evident in her system, anger was there as well. She would not let them take her away from Jim or her friends. In one swift motion Alice had stepped on the pirate's foot causing him to cry out in pain before she twisted her head and bit the other pirate's hand. Both of them yowled and released her as she stumbled forward into Jim. He grabbed her hand as they sprinted toward the longboat.

"Now!" Amelia ordered seeing the two teenagers were nearly there. Delbert twisted around and shot the forward cable while Amelia took the one behind. Alice's breathing hitched as the longboat began to fall. She had to jump, but her legs froze up and she slid to a halt on the edge of the catwalk.

"I can't!" she gasped, the fear overtaking her.

"Oh yes you can," Jim said, giving her a less-than-gentle shove off the ledge. Alice's scream was cut off as she landed with a thump in the boat right as it crashed onto the closing hatch below.

Just as expected the boat began to tip forward. Right as it slid through the remaining gap Jim jumped and managed to grab the side before it tipped the rest of the way and they were free falling.

Jim scrambled to get a hold when he felt Delbert and Alice's hands grabbing him and pulling him into the boat. He landed in a heap next to Alice who quickly closed her eyes as they continued to drop.

"Parameters met, hydraulics engaged," Amelia announced as she pulled open the longboat's sail and took the directional stick. They straightened out right away and flew at an easy incline toward the planet. All of them sat back for a moment to catch their breath.

"Sorry about pushing you," Jim apologized as he turned to Alice.

"It saved my life," she chuckled shakily, her face still pale from all the excitement. Jim leaned back to rest for a moment when he heard Delbert gasp.

"Captain!" the Doctor cried. "Laser ball at twelve o'clock!" Jim and Alice looked up in horror to see one of the ship's laser balls barreling toward them. Amelia grabbed the tiller and pulled it sharply to the right, but it was too late. The laser ball struck the back of the boat blowing off their engines and making all of them jerk forward from the sheer momentum.

Alice wasn't sure if she wanted to see the damage, but curiosity got the best of her and she turned to look.

She wished she hadn't looked.

Their engines were completely gone and all that remained of the sail was its skeleton.

They weren't flying anymore.

They were falling to Treasure Planet.

The boat held out for a moment longer before it began to tip. Alice let out a terrified scream as they fell, gathering speed as they went. Amelia gritted her teeth and clung to the directional stick in a final attempt to turn the boat, but it was no use. Jim wrapped one arm around Alice while the other gripped the boat's side.

As they got closer to the planet, all of them could see the mossy vegetation that had taken over the surface. Their boat entered what appeared to be a forest of enormous mushrooms. All of them held on tight as their small boat rocked hazardously and blew through one of the mushrooms covering them all in roots and green dust.

"Get ready!" Jim hollered over the rush of the wind.

"Ready for what?" Alice called back when she noticed the ground coming up fast. "Oh. That."

Their boat hit the ground with a bone rattling crash, but their ride of demise didn't end there. The minute it hit the ground it bounced up a bit and tipped. Upon instinct Alice jammed her arms and legs under the wooden benches as the boat slide across the ground upside down. She felt Jim doing the same thing next to her as both of them closed their eyes and focused on keeping themselves from being caught up in the undertow.

After one last jarring shudder the boat came to slow stop allowing Alice to let go of the benches. She dropped onto the mossy earth and lay there for a moment in complete shock and utter exhaustion.

Jim fell next to her before grunting as he pushed the longboat up and off.

"Ow," he muttered, rubbing his neck and checking for bruises. Alice sat up next to him. "You alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm totally fine considering we were just betrayed by a man we respected, caught in the midst of a mutiny, nearly killed by pirates, shot down by a laser ball from our own ship, crash landed on a deserted planet, and now we have to walk around with no food, no shelter, only the clothes on our backs and have faith in a little golden ball and a stupid legend," she retorted, sending him a look.

"If it's anyone's fault, it's my own," Delbert sighed, sitting up beside the two, and dusting off his red coat. Thankfully the Doctor had brought normal clothes so he didn't have to walk around in a ridiculous space suit all the time. "I should never have hired them on the spot like that."

"Tish tosh, Doctor," Amelia grunted as she too sat up. "Everyone makes mistakes. I should have been more specific when I helped you hire the crew via mail."

"Well it's a little late now," Jim replied.

"I'm not blaming anyone," Alice said quickly. "That's probably the most fun I've had in years," she smiled trying to lighten the mood. Amelia chuckled as she pushed herself to her feet.

"Not one of my more gossamer landings – ah!" she gasped, clutching her side as she sank back to her knees.

"Captain!" Delbert cried, hurrying to her side and helping her back up.

"Oh – oh don't fuss," Amelia ordered despite her pained expression. Jim and Alice stood as they watched their Captain attempt to maintain her stance. "It's a slight bruising. A cup of tea and I'll be right as rain," she sniffed. "Mr. Hawkins." Delbert, Jim and Alice all looked amazed when she addressed Delbert as such. Amelia squinted at Delbert before shaking her head and turning to Jim. "The map if you please."

At the mention of the map Jim's face lit up. At least they didn't come out empty handed. He pulled it out of his pocket with a satisfied sigh.

Their victory didn't last long.

Jim's happiness was replaced with curiosity when the ball made a low humming noise and lifted into the air. Jim's expression turned to one of shock when the map unraveled like a coil of rope and the luminous gold converted to a soft pink.

There was only one explanation and Jim's hunch was proved true a mere moment later when the tiny creature erupted into a fit of giggles.

Yeah, it was Morph.

**A/N: This is another crazy long chapter! I apologize for that everyone. I wasn't sure when to end it. I tried to change it up a bit more so I'm not always following the exact plot of the movie. Tell me if I'm sticking too close to the plot and it's boring you all to death. I'm trying not to do that because if you want the original plot just go watch the movie :)**

**Special thanks to 1 Sky 1 Destiny 1 Videogame for putting this on story alert and shopgirllaura and delphigirl689 for adding it to your favorites. It is much appreciated you three! :D**


	9. Author's Notice

_**Author's Notice**_

**Okay ****I****'****m ****sorry ****this ****is ****not ****the ****next ****chapter, ****but ****it ****is ****an ****author****'****s ****notice ****because ****I****'****ve ****gotten ****a****lot ****of ****very ****good ****questions ****lately ****concerning ****my ****story ****and ****my ****series.**

** As of right now A New Beginning and all of the other stories concerning Jim and Alice on my fanfiction account are UNDER CONSTRUCTION (and that's not yelling it in anyone's face I'm just highlighting it so people don't miss). A New Beginning is the first book in the series and I'm rewriting the whole thing.**

** I originally did have chapters posted but I took them down and are putting up the new chapters which is why I still have reviews from people who have reviewed chapter 16 and stuff. No worries, more is coming! I promise you that. It doesn't just end there. I'm currently working on the next chapter and hope to have it up by tonight no later than tomorrow at least. **

** So don't read the other stories on my site because they are in the midst of being edited, so some just stop in the middle.**

** I'm focusing all my attention on the first book though so I should have chapters up sooner.**

** Thank you everyone for the wonderful favorites, story alert notices, or reviews I really appreciate them!  
And special thanks to jimxalicelovr for asking me these questions and you will not be disappointed. :D **

** More is coming and soon, so be patient a little longer everyone :)**


	10. The Bio Electronic Navigator

_**Chapter 9  
**_  
_**The **__**B**__**io **__**E**__**lectronic **__**N**__**avigator**_

"Morph! Where's the map!" Jim demanded as the protoplasm flew around his head. In answer Morph transformed into a pile of rope with the map floating beside it. He showed the map jumping into the rope coil. "Are you serious it's back on the ship?" Jim roared. Morph giggled before zipping out of Jim's reach as the boy made a grab for him.

"Okay – okay we can figure this out. Right?" Alice asked hopefully as she rubbed her face.

"Time to fret over the map must be saved for later. We've got company," Amelia announced, nodding to the longboat flying above the treetops, scanning the ground for any survivors. Delbert helped Amelia back under the longboat as Jim and Alice followed.

They sat under there for a couple more minutes before the danger had passed. Amelia narrowed her eyes as she got to her feet.

"We need a more defensible position. Both of you scout ahead," she ordered Jim and Alice. The two of them shared a look as Morph perched on Alice's shoulder.

"Aye, Captain," Jim agreed. Just as the two turned to leave, they saw Amelia let out a groan as she sank back to the ground with Delbert by her side in an instant.

For a while they walked in silence, pushing vines or other mossy plants out of the way.

"Does the Doc know anything about medicine?" Alice spoke up. Jim shrugged, holding back some vines as she stepped forward.

"I don't think so. Mostly just astrology."

"Jim, I've been wondering…" Jim looked up when Alice stopped walking and looked at her feet. "I-I was wondering if…well, after this whole adventure is over and if we get out alive –"

"You mean _when_ we get out alive," Jim corrected making the two of them chuckle.

"Well I was wondering if I could still take up your offer."

"And what'd be that?" Jim inquired, stepping closer.

"When you suggested I stay with you for a while until I find some new parents," she whispered, her voice trembling. Jim stared at her. "Well, I mean, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to be adopted. I just thought something is better than nothing I suppose," she sighed, rubbing her shoulder.

Jim's smile grew as he stepped forward under the mossy mushrooms with sunlight flickering through.

"I'd – I'd love it if you stayed with me," he said quietly making Alice look up. She realized how close they were and she blushed.

"I don't want to go back to my boarding school," she whispered, her eyes fluttering closed as Jim leaned in.

"You don't have to," he breathed, taking her hands as he moved to lean in the rest of the way. Their lips were almost brushing when Morph squealed and flew between them. Jim and Alice jumped back in surprise.

"What? What is it?" Jim demanded, his head still foggy and his heart still racing. Morph pointed nervously to the plants that were rustling nearby. Jim pulled away from Alice and cocked his pistol, hearing the low hum as the laser charged up.

He stepped closer feeling Alice do the same thing behind him. Jim shushed Morph who was making low chattering noises as he stepped toward the plants that had stopped rustling. Just as Jim was peeking over the top of the shrubbery something most unexpected sprang from the bushes with a loud yell.

"Ah-h-h!" Jim cried and fell back into Alice sending them both to the ground with a thump as they lost their hold on their weapons. When Jim opened his eyes again he realized the creature was just a robot; a very old rusty looking robot with a chunk of the back of its head missing. "Oh this is fantastic!" the rusted robot began, unable to hide its joy. Jim and Alice stared at it in shock as it continued in a booming voice. "Carbon based life forms have come to rescue me at last!"

Jim tried to sit up but the robot pushed him back down and stuck two metal fingers in his mouth, prying it open and squinting at the back of Jim's throat. Jim spit out the horrible taste when the robot suddenly grabbed him and Alice in a bone crushing hug.

"Oh I just want to hug you and squeeze you and hold you close to me!" he laughed, pulling them both off the ground and hugging them as tight as possible.

"Okay, we get it," Alice gasped as Jim pushed the robot off before having it leap back and wrap around him.

"Will you just let go of me?" he demanded, shoving the robot away.

"Oh, sorry! Sorry!" the robot laughed before standing between Jim and Alice and wrapping its arms around both of their necks. "I-I've been marooned for, uh, so long. Solitude's fun, don't get me wrong, but for heaven's sake after a hundred years – YOU GO A LITTLE NUTS!" it exploded making Alice cringe and rub her ear.

Jim sent the robot a glare making the poor machine step back and try to brush the dirt off of their shirts.

"I'm sorry," it apologized. "My name is –" The robot paused before beginning again. "My name is…uh…" it trailed off as it dropped its head in its metal hands trying to remember.

Morph had perched back on Jim's shoulder and quietly morphed into a cuckoo clock. Jim turned his head and smirked before tapping the shape shifter on the head to make him reform.

"B.E.N!" the robot exploded. "Of course, I'm B.E.N!" he announced. Alice stepped back when B.E.N threw out his hand. "The Bio Electronic Navigator," he grinned, tapping the compass on his chest making it swing open to reveal a mix of wires and buttons. "Oops," he blushed, pushing it back in. "And you are?"

Jim grabbed their weapons, handing Alice her own as he nudged her to start walking again, and replied, "Jim."

"I'm Alice," Alice added.

"Oh what a pleasure to meet you Jimmy and Ally!" B.E.N began shaking both of their hands rather obnoxiously. Jim pushed him back.

"It's Jim," he emphasized, his patience wearing off.

"And please just call me Alice," she said.

"Well if the lady insists," B.E.N chuckled as he leaned on Jim as if resting against a wall. Alice let out a little giggle at Jim's annoyed expression.

"Look, we're kind of in a hurry," he said, pushing B.E.N back. "We've got to find a place to hide and there are pirates chasing –"

"Oh! Pirates!" B.E.N interrupted. "Don't get me started on pirates! I don't like them," he laughed. Jim and Alice looked at each other helplessly. It was only when B.E.N began his next declaration did the two of them pay closer attention. "I remember Captain Flint," B.E.N continued. "That guy had such a temper."

Up to that point Jim and Alice had come to the conclusion that B.E.N was an abandoned lunatic, but the robot said the magic words like dangling a piece of meat in front of a hungry lion.

"Wait!" Alice gasped. "You knew Captain Flint?" B.E.N, as casual as ever, sat down on a boulder nearby.

"I think he suffered from mood swings," he persisted as if he hadn't heard Alice's question. "Personally I'm not a therapist but anyway I – you let me know when I'm rambling!" he laughed.

"But then that means," Jim started as a smile spread across his lips. "You've got to know where the treasure is!"

"Treasure?" B.E.N asked.

"Yeah you know," Jim fumbled trying to explain.

"The Loot of A Thousand Worlds," Alice interjected as the two leaned in.

"Well it's," the robot's eyes were blinking rapidly now, "it's all a l-l-little fuzzy," he stammered as the wires near the back of his head twitched. Jim and Alice gave him a worried look as he began. "Wait! I-I r-r-r-remember. I do. Treasure! Lots of treasure! Buried in the centroid – centroid – centroid of the mechanism!" On the word centroid B.E.N's vocal box went from deep to high pitched before returning to normal. "And there was this big door! Opening and closing! And opening and closing!"

Jim and Alice shared a nervous look as his wires sparked and twitched while his eyes blipped strange pictures of pirate symbols and green triangular doors.

"And Captain Flint wanted to make sure nobody could ever steal his treasure so I helped him ai-i-i-h-h –" B.E.N's voice died as his wires stood straight out and bolts of electricity flew from them making Jim grab Alice's shoulder and pull her back protectively.

The two of them watched as B.E.N's head spun around before he grabbed it almost painfully.

"We've got to do something!" Alice gasped.

"What?" Jim asked, looking just as concerned as she.

"I don't know! Something!"

"Ah! Data inaccessible and reboot – reboot – reboot –!" Before B.E.N could short circuit and possibly blow up, Jim stepped forward and did the only thing that came to mind.

He slapped B.E.N across the face.

The robot's head spun around again as he grabbed it and blinked open his eyes. His wires lay still and he seemed to be back under control. He looked at Jim and Alice quizzically.

"And you are?" he asked.

"Wait, what about the treasure?" Jim pressed.

"I want to say Larry and Jane," B.E.N said ignoring Jim's question.

"The centroid of the mechanism! What was that all about? Oh and it's Jim and Alice," Alice supplied as she and Jim took eager steps forward. B.E.N seemed to remember where he was since his head drooped in shame.

"I'm sorry, my-my-my memory isn't what it used to be. I lost mind. Ha-ha! I lost my mind," he cackled before grabbing Jim and throwing him against a tree. "You haven't found it have you?" he asked hopefully, patting Jim down.

"Uh…" Jim swallowed feeling rather uncomfortable.

"My missing piece?" B.E.N asked, pulling back and pointing to the wires sticking out of his head. "My primary memory circuit?" Jim sighed in frustration. The whole incident with B.E.N had gotten them nowhere and they had wasted valuable time. The pirates could be around any minute.

"Look, B.E.N," Jim started, "we really need to find a place to hide, okay? So we'll just be, you know, moving on," he finished, turning away and pressing a hand to Alice's back to lead her away, but to his surprise Alice stopped him.

"Jim! We can't just leave him here," she argued.

"Why not? He's of no help to us," Jim lowered his voice.

"I'm sorry I'm so dysfunctional," B.E.N said softly as he gave them both a sad look. "But go ahead. I do understand, I do. Bye, bye," he waved and turned away with his head down.

Alice gave Jim a stern look.

"Alice, we're not taking him with," Jim muttered.

"Jim, he's been marooned for a hundred years, he needs our help."

"What help? He's been doing fine for a hundred years; he can wait a little longer. Besides he'll have the pirates on us in minutes."

"Jim, we're taking him with."

"No we're not."

"Yes we are!"

"No we're not!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"I'm not caving," Jim glowered at her as he crossed his arms.

"Neither am I," Alice snapped back. For a moment the two of them matched the other's glare before Jim relented, sighing in exasperation. He turned to B.E.N who still stood with his head down, but Jim got the feeling he heard every word of the whispered argument.

"Look, if you're going to come along you have to stop talking," he told the robot. Alice smirked as B.E.N lifted his head and jumped up and down in excitement.

"Pazzah!" he laughed before running over and leaping into Jim's arms bridal style making Alice nearly fall over laughing. "Me and my best buddies out looking for a –" He stopped when he noticed Jim shooting him a furious glare. B.E.N chuckled nervously. "I'm being quiet," he assured Jim before smiling and patting his head.

"And you have to stop touching me," Jim spat as he dropped B.E.N to the ground, but even Jim's irritated mood didn't faze the robot for he leapt right back to his feet and swung an arm around Alice who smiled.

"Touching and talking. Those are my two big no no's," B.E.N agreed. Jim rolled his eyes as he pushed B.E.N away from Alice.

"And you need to stop touching her too."

"I don't mind if B.E.N touches or talks to me," Alice grinned, sticking her tongue out at Jim who was watching her in disbelief.

"Hey, Jimmy, I like Ally. She's real nice."

"Yeah, whatever," Jim huffed, feeling a little left out of the loop and jealous that B.E.N, although a robot, could swing his arm around Alice so freely. "Now I think that we should head –"

"Say, before we go out on our big search," B.E.N interrupted. "Do you two mind if we make a quick pit stop at my place. Kind of urgent," he smiled in embarrassment, obviously needing to take a leak.

"Where's your place?" Alice asked.

"Just across this valley," B.E.N explained, pulling back some plants to reveal an enormous stone structure on the other side of an open plane. Jim and Alice's mouths hung open.

"B.E.N, I think you just solved our problem," Jim chuckled.

"And to think you wanted to go the other way," Alice shot Jim a playful smirk. The boy couldn't help himself and returned the expression.

"Come on, we better get back to the Captain and Doc," he cleared his throat as B.E.N headed back to his home for a bathroom break and Jim and Alice retreated to their crash site to find their friends.

**A/N: Sorry this was not out yesterday night like I promised. I've been falling behind in school lately due to my extensive writing and obnoxious lack of sleep. So I had to go to bed early yesterday. At least I got it out tonight so enjoy everyone. :)**

**Once again thanks to everyone who has reviewed or added this to their favorites, etc.! It is much appreciated! Especially Jess036 and jimxalicelovr in case I didn't thank you before!**


	11. The Bargain

_**Chapter 10**_

_**The Bargain**_

"Uh, pardon the mess people," B.E.N apologized when their small party took their first steps inside his egg shaped tower, a gargantuan circular hole acting as the doorway inside. "You think in a hundred years I would have dusted a bit more, but you know when you're batching it you tend to let things go," he prattled, trying to clean away board games, playing cards, ripped sails, underpants, large barrels, wrenches, spyglasses, paintings, maps, old calligraphy pens, and several empty bottles of rum or jars containing who knew what.

In fact the entire room was covered in piles of useless junk. Alice picked up what was once an intricately crafted clay jar. She studied the now ruined material in her hands. Moss had accumulated over almost everything in sight. She cleared away the moss on the jar lid and pried it open to peek inside.

"Check this out," she nudged Jim who turned to watch her pull out a handful of colorful rocks. "They're so smooth. What are they?" she asked him. Jim grabbed a blue rock and studied it in interest.

"They look like dull pieces of glass," he shrugged.

"And you'd be right, Jim," Doppler spoke up as he carried Amelia and gently set her down to lie against one of the metal mounds, which looked just like upside down bowls, scattered around the room. "That there is sea glass. It's formed from people tossing their glass bottles or other instruments into a large body of water. The constant buffeting from the waves makes the surface smooth to the touch."

"Is there anything you do not know, Doctor?" Amelia chuckled weakly as she gave him an affectionate look.

"Speech is something I have never been able to understand. My participation – manipulation – er, articulation," he fumbled sheepishly, "is quite ill indeed."

Jim and Alice shared an amused look. They'd been so busy on the Legacy, running from pirates, or fretting about their own relationship they had completely failed to notice the Doctor and Captain's growing attraction. B.E.N seemed to notice too for he was quick to comment.

"I find old fashioned romance so touching, don't you? How about drinks for the happy couple?" he smiled, pulling out some cups filled with bubbling oil.

"That's got to be toxic," Jim whispered to Alice who giggled rather flirtatiously at his comment. When Jim looked at her he saw that her cheeks had faded pink as she realized how silly she had just sounded.

"Oh, uh, no thank you we don't drink and we're not a couple," Delbert replied even though his expression clearly said otherwise.

"Jimmy, Ally? Drinks for your happy relationship?" B.E.N offered as he walked over to them.

"Oh, no, B.E.N we're fine. Besides, Jim and I aren't a couple either," Alice explained. Jim never let his gaze leave her. He wished it was the other way around. He wished he and Alice really were a couple. Alice caught him staring at her.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he shrugged and turned away. Hadn't they almost kissed before Morph's interruption? If only he had had a few more seconds to lean in and initiate their kiss. He would have done it. He knew he would have, but would Alice have returned the gesture?

"Mr. Hawkins," Amelia growled, interrupting Jim's thoughts. "You and Alice stop anyone who tries to approach – oh!" she gasped.

"Yes, yes, now listen to me," Delbert ordered, gently pushing her back down. "Stop giving orders for a few milliseconds and lie still."

"Very forceful, Doctor, go on say something else," she teased, but before the two of them could say more B.E.N's shouting jarred them from their reverie.

"Hey look," he cried as he stood at the entrance of the home. "There's some warrior buddies! Hey fellas!" he shouted enthusiastically. "We're over here!"

Jim had a bad feeling about who those 'warrior buddies' were and sure enough plasma and laser shots were soon being fired in every direction toward the robot. B.E.N yelped and tried to dodge them as Jim pulled him down out of the way of rounded hole.

Both he and Alice charged up their pistols as they ducked and fired back.

"Told you he'd alert the pirates," Jim grumbled as he and Alice bent down again.

"Yes, but he also gave us shelter."

"Shelter that doesn't count because we're now under attack."

"Well it's better than sitting in an open valley," Alice spat back. Jim scowled as he reloaded his weapon and stood up to fire back when something caught his attention. Alice stood up beside him and gazed across the valley to see Silver waving a makeshift white flag while his pirate buddies fell back and lowered their weapons.

"Jimbo! Alice!" he called, limping forward as he waved the white flag around. "If, uh, if tis alright wit' teh Captain, I'd like a short word wit' yeh. No tricks. Just a little palaver."

Jim and Alice shared a look.

"Come to bargain for the map," Amelia grumbled as all of them turned to look at her. "That pestilential – uhn!" she groaned as Delbert gave her a firm look to keep her still.

"So he thinks we still have it?" Alice asked, looking at Jim as he nodded, a smirk playing at his lips.

"Well, a little chit chat is what he wants, and so he shall have," he shrugged, putting away his gun.

"I'm coming too," Alice spoke up as she also put away her gun and followed Jim out. "I've got a few select words I think he should hear."

"Remember, though, we have to pretend like we have the map," Jim whispered as they approached the cyborg sitting on a large boulder.

"Got it," Alice agreed as they headed up to Silver. Morph, who'd been hiding in Jim's pocket, squealed upon seeing Silver and buzzed around his head.

"Ah Morphy!" Silver greeted cheerfully. "I wondered where yeh was off to." Upon seeing Jim and Alice staring him down Silver began. "Oh this poor old leg's downright snuffed since t'at game attack we had in teh galley, eh?" he chuckled, but when all he received were bitter stares his laughter died. "Whatever yeh two heard down there, at least teh part concerning you, I didn't mean a word of it! If t'at bloodthirsty lot had thought I'd gone soft, they'd have gutted us all!"

Jim continued to stare him down in quiet loathing while Alice opened her mouth.

"They sure would have, wouldn't they Silver?" she smiled sarcastically, but Silver didn't seem to catch the hint.

"Aye, lass they would 'ave. Tis a bad batch o' cookies they are, but if we all play our cards right, we can walk away from this rich as kings!" he grinned, leaning in close to Jim and Alice.

Jim put a hand to his chin as a smile curled at the corners of his lips.

"Yeah?" he asked pretending to take Silver's word. Once again the pirate didn't realize Jim and Alice were playing him.

"Yeah, all yeh two 'ave ta do is get me t'at treasure map and even a portion o' teh treasure is yours!" he smiled, holding out his metal hand. Jim and Alice looked at it before looking at each other.

"Really, Mr. Silver, I thought you were smarter than that," Alice mocked. "I mean, after all, you did insult us, and try to kill us on several accounts. We trusted you, and you betrayed us. Do you really think we're going to just hand over the map? Besides, if I do recall, it was Billy Bones that entrusted the map to Jim."

"T'was not Billy Bones' map ta give away!" Silver grumbled, looking disgruntled.

"And was it your map to take as you pleased?" she shot back. Silver scowled.

"If I do recall, lass, tis still Jimbo's property as of now, an' I don't think yeh speak for 'im." Both of them turned to look at Jim who had been quiet through the whole thing.

"No, Silver's right, Alice," he finally said.

"I am?"

"He is?"

"Yeah," Jim smirked. "After all wasn't it Silver that told me I had the makings of greatness?"

"Now, uh, see here Jimbo –" Silver fumbled.

"And wasn't it Silver who called me a nose-wiping little whelp the very next day?"

"I believe it was, Jim," Alice replied.

"Now yeh listen ta me, both o' yeh –"

"I mean at least you taught me one thing, 'stick to it' right?" Jim asked as he began to circle Silver and his expression hardened. "Well that's just what I'm going to do. I'm going to make sure that you never see one drubloon of _my_ treasure!" Jim spat.

"Tha' treasure is owed ta me, by t'under!" Silver roared, leaping to his feet.

"Well try to find it without my map, by t'under!" Jim snarled, mimicking Silver's accent on the last word. Said cyborg clenched his teeth as his metallic eye turned scarlet.

"Oh yeh still don't know how ta pick yer fights, do yeh boy?" Jim's response was to deepen his glower. "Now mark me, either I get t'at map by dawn tomorrow, or so help me, I'll use teh ship's cannons ta blast yeh all t' kingdom come!" he shouted, towering over Jim and Alice, but the two held their ground despite their racing hearts.

Silver turned to limp away when he stopped as if forgetting something.

"Morph, hop to it," he called over his shoulder, but when Morph didn't follow, Silver spun around and barked, "NOW!"

Morph squealed and hid in Alice's long hair, trembling in fright. Silver sneered before grunting and hobbling off.

Jim kept up his fierce expression as he and Alice turned to walk back to B.E.N's house.

"I still can't believe we trusted him," Alice whispered, the hurt evident in her expression. Jim let out a long sigh as he turned to the afternoon sun.

"Yeah, neither can I."

**A/N: I'd like to point out the part where Alice giggles "flirtatiously" in this chapter. Heh, now I know that sounds sort of weird, especially since Alice is a very shy character, but how many of you girls here have had a crush? *raises hand* I know I have, and when the guy (or girl I guess) you like says something funny you tend to put a little more exuberance into that giggle rather than a friendly chuckle. You seem to think everything they say is kind of funny in a cute little way. So that's why Alice is giggling "flirtatiously" which catches Jim's attention because her giggle is a little louder and slightly more obnoxious than usual. Alice then realizes this and gets all embarrassed. So yeah. I recently had a crush and this happened to me and I got really embarrassed. Everyone's different, but I'm playing off of what I know to make it seem a little more realistic.**

**This is also to really press the fact that This is Jim and Alice's first time either of them have a crush! So obviously it's going to be a little uncomfortable, a little awkward sometimes, and they're going to be a little unstable in the relationship department. We don't all walk into relationships knowing exactly what to do. We have to learn as we go along.**

**Anyway!**

**Sorry for the wait on these chapters, I've recently discovered this amazing virtual writer's workshop thing called Scrivener. I have the thirty day trial and have been working on my non-fanfiction story. If you haven't heard of Scrivener, go check it out! Just type it in on your web browser, it's pretty cool and it only costs $40. It's pretty much a more advanced Microsoft Word or Word program depending on your computer program.**

**So enough about that. As I said, I've been busy ogling over Scrivener as well as planning Christmas and writing my other story, so I haven't uploaded in a while (or at least it seems that way) and I'll get the next chapter out sooner.**

**Special thanks to SmarahSmarshmellow and xPoppyx for putting this story on story alert and xPoppyx for reviewing! It means a lot to me! Thanks! :D**


	12. Disconnecting Laser Cannons

_**Chapter 11**_

_**Disconnecting Laser Cannons**_

Darkness had almost settled on the planet as Jim, Alice, and the others prepared for their first night on the legendary Treasure Planet.

It wasn't nearly as exciting as they expected. After returning to B.E.N's house, Jim had set to pacing back and forth in front of the opening until giving up and staring at the darkening sky. Alice was worried about him. He hadn't said two words since they returned and though she wanted to comfort him, she wasn't sure how.

Her stomach gave a pitiful growl. They hadn't had a scrap of food or water all day. Her mouth was parched and her hands shaky. Eventually she had to sit down due to the exhaustion. She wanted to curl up into a ball and sleep, but she didn't dare rest. She couldn't leave Jim to figure everything out and Delbert was still too busy taking care of a delirious Amelia.

"Gentlemen, ladies," Amelia rasped making all of them hurry to her side. "We must stay together and – and –" she stopped as she let her eyes slip closed.

"And what?" Delbert shouted, terror stretching across his face. "We must stay together and what?"

"Doctor, you have wonderful eyes," Amelia smiled sleepily.

"She's lost her mind!" Delbert yelped as he turned to Jim and Alice.

"Well we got to help her," Jim said, looking at Delbert expectantly. The old Doctor got the hint.

"Dang it, Jim, I'm an astronomer not a doctor! Well, I mean I am a doctor but I'm not that kind of doctor. I have a doctorate but it's not the same thing, you can't help people with a doctorate! You just sit there and you're useless," he moaned. Jim walked up and patted his shoulder to comfort him in a small manner.

"It's okay, Doc. It's alright," he said even though his words held no meaning. Alice watched him return to his pacing.

B.E.N continued to prattle on about the most indiscriminate things while Morph, chirping now and then, followed Jim's stride. At last Alice stood up and put a hand on Jim's shoulder to stop him from wearing a hole in the floor. He looked at her but didn't say anything.

"Jim, you should rest." He gave a humorless chuckle.

"Do you think I can rest when the pirates are standing on our doorstep?"

"Really?" B.E.N gasped.

"A figure of speech, B.E.N," Alice explained as she turned back to Jim. "You should rest."

"Without the map we're dead," he sighed as he turned and stared at the pirates gathered around a fire across the valley. "If we try to leave we're dead and if we stay here –"

"We're dead!" Morph interrupted cheerfully as he buzzed around Jim's head. "We're dead! We're dead! We're dead!" Jim hung his head in defeat as he turned away from the two of them. B.E.N, who had been awfully quiet the past two minutes, came alive once more.

"Well, I think that all of you could use a little quiet time," he chuckled, making air quotes around 'quiet time'. "So I'll just slip out the back door," he shrugged and turned to leave when Jim and Alice's heads both whipped up.

"Back door?" they echoed, following B.E.N over to one of the large domes in the floor as he began to push so that it swiveled around, revealing a large open hole in the top.

"Oh yeah. I get this delightful breeze through here," he said, sticking his head over the open hole making his wires blow upward from the draft. "Which I think is important because ventilation among friends –"

"Whoa!" Jim gasped, interrupting the robot as he and Alice peered into the gap. "What is all this stuff?" he asked, gesturing to the never ending drop to the center of the planet save for a few walkways just below the circular door they were looking through. The walls were lined with wires, bolts, and strange glowing apparatuses.

"You mean the miles and miles of machinery that run through the entire course of the inside of this planet?" B.E.N waved his hand nonchalantly. "Not a clue."

"Hey Doc! I think I found a way out of here," Jim exclaimed.

"But where does it lead?" Alice asked hesitantly, seeing the catwalk suspended by thin wires over an infinite drop.

"That's what we're going to find out," Jim smirked, beginning to lower himself into the opening.

"No, no! Jim, wait! That Captain ordered us to stay –"

"I'll be back," Jim cut Delbert off and dropped onto the walkway below. Alice held her breath as he jumped up and down on the catwalk for a moment, but when it didn't give away he smiled back up at Alice. "You coming?"

"I don't think I can do this," she replied, her heart thundering in her chest and her palms slick with sweat.

"Yes you can," Jim assured her, reaching out his hand. Alice hesitated, biting her lip. "You can do it, Alice."

Alice swallowed back her terror and took Jim's hand as she dropped down next to him, sliding right into his arms. Both of them looked up and blushed at the way their arms were tangled around each other.

"Cannonball!" B.E.N shouted, jumping down and landing on top of Jim and Alice sending the two of them sprawling.

"B.E.N," Jim groaned as Morph floated down and rested on his chest. Alice got up while Jim followed suit.

"Oh, we're high. Oh so very high," she muttered, grabbing the railing and holding on with such strength her knuckles turned white. Jim pried her hands away from the rail.

"This way, guys," he said and led them across the catwalk to who knew where. It felt like they had been walking for hours when the catwalk ended.

"Now what?" Alice asked, as she kept a strong grip on Jim's shirt sleeve.

"Well we can't go down," Jim grunted. "So I guess that means –"

"Hey guys! I found a ladder!" B.E.N exclaimed, pointing to a ladder coming down from an aperture in the ground above them. Jim looked at Alice who shrugged. The boy grabbed the end of the ladder and began to climb with Alice, B.E.N, and Morph following after. He didn't notice the dome shaped ceiling above him until his head came in contact with the metal surface.

"Ouch," he grunted, rubbing his head before looking down at the others. "It just stops!" he called.

"Okay I did not just walk all that way on a thin catwalk over a thousand foot drop to hit a dead end," Alice complained.

"No, I think this opens up. Hang on," Jim said as he put a hand against the ceiling and pushed. The dome shifted. He looked down at the others and was met by Alice's curious expression and B.E.N's glowing green eyes. Morph chirruped but Jim pressed a finger to his lips to keep him silent before pushing the dome up farther and peering out.

It seemed that the underground chasm had taken them right where they needed to be.

"Pirates," Jim whispered as Alice shimmied up the ladder to peek out with him. Indeed their secret outlet was positioned right next to the pirates who were currently all snoring away around their fire that continued to burn bright.

"So what's the plan?" B.E.N suddenly yelled, jumping up in between Alice and Jim.

"B.E.N!" Alice whisper-snapped.

"Shh!" Jim emphasized, grabbing the robot's mouth as the four of them, including Morph, looked around for fear of being caught. Alice let out a silent breath of relief when the pirates remained unconscious. "Okay, here it is," Jim whispered, addressing the other three. "We sneak back to the legacy, disable the laser cannons, and bring back the map."

"That's a good plan," B.E.N mumbled between Jim's hand still clamped tight over his metal lips. "I like that plan, the only problem is how do we get there?"

"On that," Alice said and pointed to the longboat hovering close by.

"I'll go first," Jim agreed as he silently pulled himself out of the ground. He looked around at all of the sleeping pirates before waving his hand and issuing for Alice and B.E.N to follow suit. The four friends hurried to the longboat as quietly as possible. Jim untied it from the tree nearby and took a seat next to Alice and the control panel. He allowed them to float up a bit more before starting the engines and taking off into the night sky.

"No tricks this time, right?" Alice smiled tiredly, trying to lighten the mood as they flew through the stars. For a moment it almost felt like their problems had all but washed away and it was just her and Jim in the longboat, speeding through the space.

"No tricks," Jim agreed, passing her a warm smile in return. Alice cleared her throat and turned back to the stars after his gaze lingered longer than usual.

"Is that it?" B.E.N asked, pointing to the ship.

"Yep," Jim agreed as they flew closer. "But we all better be quiet for good measure. We don't know who was left on board to guard the ship."

"I think I do," Alice whimpered. Jim looked at her curiously as she shuddered. "Scroop," she breathed. Jim paled. He had almost forgotten about the spider psycho.

"All the more reason to keep very quiet," he nodded as they pulled the longboat up to the side of the ship and roped it off. Jim peeked over the rail with B.E.N, Morph, and Alice all keeping very still. When the arachnid was nowhere to be seen Jim nodded to the others and leapt onto the ship. Alice followed after while B.E.N yelped and crashed onto the deck.

"B.E.N, shh!" Jim hissed.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry," B.E.N whispered as he stood up and followed the two of them to the stairs leading to the longboat hold.

"Okay," Jim whispered as they reached the bottom. "I'll get the map, you two wait here." Before Alice could object B.E.N had saluted.

"Roger, Jimmy! I'll neutralize laser cannons, sir!" he shouted and took off down the hallway with Jim trying desperately to call him back. Once B.E.N had disappeared from view Jim looked at Alice and she gave him a wan smile.

"I'm coming with you."

"I know," he sighed. "I figured you'd want to." Alice stuck close to Jim's side as they reached the longboat hold. Morph squeaked and led them to the pile of rope where the map remained. Alice peered over Jim's shoulder as he pulled the coil of rope apart before reaching in and pulling out the familiar gold sphere.

Alice let out a breath of relief as Jim stood up.

"Alright, let's get out of here –" The cabin boy was cut off when a loud alarm sounded throughout every hall of the ship. Jim and Alice shared a terrified look. B.E.N had obviously found the power box. "Run!" Jim ordered, pushing Alice in front of him as they sprinted for the stairs leading up on deck. "Stupid robot's gonna get us all –"

"Jim!" Alice squealed, stopping dead in her tracks as Jim collided with her back before following her gaze.

"Killed," he finished in horror as Scroop smirked sinisterly.

"Cabin boy," he hissed, seeming to only be staring at Jim. Alice spun around and pushed Jim into action as they sprinted back down the hallway as fast as they could. Morph flew after them but when he spotted Scroop's claw nearly nicking Alice's shirt he morphed into a pie and hit the spider in the face. Scroop slid to a halt letting out a low growl as he pulled the pie from his eyes before tossing Morph into a pipe nearby and sneering as the protoplasm was sucked up and out.

By this time Jim and Alice had reached the end of the hall. Jim grabbed Alice's arm as he pulled her into a niche in the wall. Immediately he drew his pistol. Alice followed suit as her weapon released a humming sound. A bead of sweat trickled down her brow as Jim pressed a finger to his lips before jumping out of their hideout right in front of Scroop who stopped dead in his tracks.

But before Jim had the chance to pull the trigger the lights in the ship went out sending all three of them into total darkness. Jim swallowed his fear.

"Jim?" Alice whispered. Jim reached out his hand and found hers in the dark, gently rubbing his thumb back and forth to comfort her and keep her quiet. The ship groaned as the power saving lights were eventually turned on sending the hallway into a dim red glow with shadows stretching out everywhere. Jim looked back and forth down the hallway, but Scroop was gone. His breathing sped up as his heart pounded.

The hairs on the back of his neck prickled, but when he turned around nothing was there. Alice seemed to be having the same problem; every time she turned around she could've sworn she saw something, but no spider popped out. Little did the two cabin kids know that Scroop stood on the ceiling in the shadows, waiting for the opportune moment.

He raised his claw, waiting for Jim to take one more step back when something popped out of the pipe near his head. Scroop didn't give it much attention until Morph screeched and turned into a pair of fingers, poking him in the eyes before disappearing back into the safety of his pipe. Scroop let out a growl of pain as Jim and Alice looked up.

With all of his might he swung his claw knocking Jim back and sending his pistol flying. Alice raised hers, but the spider was quick. Within an instant he had her around the throat, hoisting her into the air and kicking her pistol away as well.

"Too bad, little Alice will have to die firs-st," Scroop snickered, pointing the sharp end of one claw toward her face. Alice cringed and struggled in vain.

"Drop her!" Jim ordered. Scroop and Alice turned to look toward Jim who was seething as he pointed the cocked pistol at Scroop's heart. "Drop her, or I'll shoot!"

Scroop laughed a throaty laugh.

"Shoot and I'll slit her throat," he snapped, dragging the sharp end of his claw across Alice's soft neck. Alice was breathing hard as she looked at Jim for help but the boy was torn. He slowly lowered the pistol, but kept his readied stance. "I'm s-s-so glad we could come to this-s-s mutual understanding," Scroop laughed darkly, feeling the buzz of control he now had over Jim.

The pirate's victory was short lived.

B.E.N had pulled another plug and this time, instead of controlling the lighting or sounds of the ship, he had managed to disable to ship's gravity generator. While Scroop was momentarily distracted by the loss of the ship's gravitational pull, Alice gave him a hard kick in the gut sending him flying, knocking into a wooden grate in the ceiling and floating up, up, and away. The air force began to suck her and Jim up as well. Alice grabbed onto a pipe at the last minute before reaching for Jim's hand and gripping it like there would be no tomorrow (technically there wouldn't be if she let him float into Hubble Deep Field).

"Nice catch," Jim smiled, gripping her hand with both of his. Alice shot him a weak grin when the pipe she held onto gave a violent shudder. Both she and Jim looked down as the pipe began to bend.

"Jim, I can't hold on!" she exclaimed just as the pipe snapped and the two of them began their ascension.

"Grab my hand!" Jim said, desperately stretching his fingers to meet hers. Just when Alice managed to grip his sweaty palm Scroop, who had grabbed onto the main mast, jabbed a claw at the two of them causing their hands to slide out of each other's grip. Alice's back hit the wooden boom and she grabbed it and held on while Jim continued upward.

He scrambled for something, anything, to hold onto, but there was nothing. His back hit the bottom of the crow's nest knocking the wind out of him as he continued up. In one last desperate attempt to survive, Jim reached for the crow's nest railing and missed.

"Jim!" Alice screamed from down below as he continued up into eternity.

Jim squeezed his eyes shut when he felt something blowing over him. He looked up. Of course! The pirate flag! He reached out and grabbed the thin material before adjusting his grip and hanging on for dear life.

But the cabin boy's ride wasn't over yet. Scroop realized Jim's despairing situation and smirked. Alice was far too afraid of their height to do anything to stop him as she clung to the mast in mortification at how far above the ground she was.

The arachnid began to climb, slowly at first, but steadily gaining speed, nearly salivating with delight that Hawkins would soon be lost forever.

"No!" Jim breathed as Scroop reached the crow's nest.

"Oh yes," he chuckled evilly, reaching for the rope that secured the flag. Jim watched with horror as the spider began to wear away the material with his claw. "Do say hello to Mister Arrow for me."

Jim observed the rope thinning before he spotted the pole just above the crow's nest keeping the flag secured there. Using all of his upper body strength, he grabbed onto the flag, pulling himself down until he was able to reach the post just before the rope snapped.

When Scroop saw what Jim had done he let out a roar of anger and launched himself at the boy. Jim angled his body just right so his legs came in contact with Scroop's abdomen at the last minute.

"Tell him yourself!" Jim screamed, pushing the arachnid up into the flag. The rope snapped as spider and flag were thrust up into the darkness of space. Jim squeezed his eyes shut when he heard Scroop's terrified caterwaul as the arachnid was consumed by the ever persistent darkness of the Etherium.

Jim opened his eyes and looked down at Alice who was gripping the mast as tight as she could.

"Alice!" he called causing her to look up. "Let go, I'll catch you!" She shook her head violently.

"I can't!" she sobbed, petrified of their altitude.

"Alright, well, then just stay there and hang tight for when the gravity returns," Jim said. Alice's eyes widened as she clung to the wooden boom, looking down at the deck far below her.

"No wait, Jim, please," she begged, her lower lip trembling as tears flooded her eyes.

"Float up, then, and I'll catch you. Hurry, before the gravity turns back on."

Alice whimpered.

"I can't, Jim, I'm not that strong!"

"You're stronger than you think. Do you trust me?"

"Jim I –"

"Do you trust me?" It took a moment before Alice nodded her head.

"Let go, Alice," he said, reaching out a hand. Alice looked at him, her gaze shifting between his hand and his face. Ever so slowly she let go of the mast and felt herself weightlessly floating up to his level. It wasn't long before she felt Jim's strong hold gripping hers and pulling her over so she could get a grip on the crow's nest pole.

The gravity returned not a moment too soon sending Alice and Jim toppling into the crow's nest.

"Ow," Alice groaned, rubbing her back as Jim sat up next to her.

"See, we're safe," he smiled.

"Jim, we're two hundred feet above deck," she snapped, wrapping her limbs around her and squeezing her eyes shut. Jim peeked over the side. It would be a long climb down that was for sure. Jim looked at Alice trembling beside him and finally noticed the little tears racing down her cheeks. He reached over and brushed the tears away. Alice opened her watery green eyes and met his gaze. "I'm cold, I'm hungry, I'm tired, and I don't want to be up here. I just want this to stop. I want the pirates to stop, I want Silver back, and I want courage, Jim."

Jim watched her.

"I want to be like you," she breathed. Jim blinked in surprise.

"You are brave," he said.

"Not as brave as you."

"I'll help you get down; you just have to trust me Alice."

"I trust you," she muttered as Jim took her hand and helped her up. Alice swallowed her fear as Jim grabbed onto the shroud leading down onto the main deck. Once he was in position he helped Alice out onto the shroud as well.

"Baby steps," he whispered, helping her move her feet down one rung at a time. As they climbed together, Alice felt her confidence growing. Her fear melted away to be replaced by the little tingles she felt every time she was around Jim. She stopped on one of the rungs near the bottom to look at him. Jim caught her staring and a little pink flared up on his cheeks.

"What?" he laughed nervously.

"Nothing," Alice smiled.

"See? You're doing great," he cleared his throat. Alice did feel better when he helped her climb the shrouds. She was learning to be brave, slowly but surely. She vowed to herself one day she'd learn to climb a shroud all the way to the top without any fear of falling. At last the two of them reached the deck and Alice breathed a sigh of relief.

"Are you as hungry as I am?" she asked.

"Hungry! Hungry!" Jim and Alice jumped sky high and spun around to see Morph swirling around their heads.

"Morph! Hey, where did you come from?" Jim asked, trying to slow his breathing. Morph formed an image of himself popping out of a pipe near the helm.

"Well thanks for helping with Scroop," Alice grinned and giggled when Morph cuddled against her cheek affectionately.

"I better go find B.E.N before he manages to disconnect anything else," Jim grunted turning to head toward the stairs right as B.E.N tripped up them covered from head to toe in wires. Some were even sparking.

"Laser cannons disconnected, Captain Jimmy Sir! Gee, that wasn't so tough," he panted. Jim and Alice shared an amused look.

"I'll go find some food to bring back."

"I guess I'll help B.E.N," Jim sighed, as he and Alice parted. It took Jim a while to untangle all the wires from the robot and give him a good lecture on listening instead of buzzing off to start more trouble, but in the end Jim was sure B.E.N had gotten the message. Meanwhile Alice had brought up load after load of any kind of snack she could find. She, Morph, and Jim all indulged while B.E.N told them all about what happened in the control room.

The four of them ate, drank, and were merry as if for moment they forgot a group of pirates were hunting them. Jim sat closer to Alice than was really necessary, but she didn't complain. At last Jim stood up and helped Alice pack up the remaining food.

"We should get back to the Captain and Doc before the pirates wake up and realize we stole their longboat," he announced. Alice agreed as the four of them hauled the food into the longboat before taking off back toward the planet where they would be greeted with a most unpleasant surprise.

**A/N: And I apologize for this being so late. But to make it up to everyone, I finished two chapters and I'll upload the next chapter after this.**

**Many thanks to Color-de-la-Musica, HeartsTrial, InkRoze, xPoppyx, and Jess036 for favorites, story alerts, or reviews! I really appreciate it everyone!**


	13. Flint's Secret Weapon

_**Chapter 12**_

_**Flint's Secret Weapon**_

The longboat soared through the still dark sky as Jim, Alice, B.E.N, and Morph all returned to Treasure Planet feeling more than exhausted. Jim steered the boat back toward the pirate encampment when Alice stopped him.

"Jim, it's almost dawn," she announced, pointing to the distant light on the horizon. Jim looked at her with an arched eyebrow. "So the pirates could be waking. We've got to find another way to sneak back into B.E.N's home," she said. Jim nodded in understanding as he turned to B.E.N.

"B.E.N, do you know another secret way into your tower?" Jim asked the robot. B.E.N nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh sure, Jimmy! I know lots of ways. Ever since Flint pulled my memory circuit and forced me to find the surface of the planet on my own," B.E.N chuckled, leaning back. Jim and Alice shared a look.

"What do you mean you had to find the surface on your own?" Alice asked. B.E.N's green eyes blinked several times before his wires began to spark again.

"I-I can't…r-r-remember," he stammered, thinking hard.

"Hey, forget about it. Just point us in the direction we need to go," Jim interrupted, hoping to stop the century old robot before he lost his wits again. Not that he had many wits to begin with. B.E.N told them where to tie off the longboat as all of them hopped out and pulled open another secret door. The four friends trekked through the underground tunnels once more, Alice never letting go of Jim's hand whenever they passed over one of the suspended catwalks. At last they reached the familiar circle in the ceiling they had first jumped through.

Jim climbed in first, giving B.E.N and Alice a hand up. Just as the two were pulling their selves back into B.E.N's home Alice felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up straight. She whipped around to see Jim approaching a burly outline across the room.

"Doc!" Jim exclaimed upon entering the home.

"Jim, don't!" Alice tried to stop him, but the boy was too worked up to care. He ran to the nearest shadow not seeming to notice it was far too large of a shadow to be Doppler.

"Doc, wake up! I've got the map," he grinned, holding it out, but to Jim's dismay it wasn't Doppler that reached back, it was a cyborg arm.

"Fine work, Jimbo," Silver smirked as he snatched the map from Jim's open hands. "Fine work indeed."

Jim's eyes widened as he looked around the room to see Delbert and Amelia tied up in one corner with cloth gags over their mouths. The pirates came out of the shadows beginning to circle him. Alice yelped making Jim spin around to see one pirate grabbing a fistful of her hair and securing her arms behind her back.

"What's this sorry hunk of metal?" Birdbrain Mary cackled as she put a knife up against B.E.N's throat.

"Not the face," B.E.N cringed. Jim turned to make a futile run for it, but Turnbuckle and Meltdown grabbed his arms and held him back despite his struggling. Morph, who had been hiding in Jim's pocket, flew out and bit Meltdown's tail making the pirate howl in pain before smacking Morph with his tail in return causing the protoplasm to take refuge back in Jim's pocket.

"You lied," Jim spat at Silver as the cyborg tossed the map from one hand to the other. "You said you'd come at dawn, not in the middle of the night!"

"If yeh haven't noticed, Jimbo," Silver began. "It tis dawn. An' yeh best not form hypocritical assumptions. Yeh said yeh had ta map last I saw yeh," he sneered.

"I implied it," Jim glowered in return. Silver shook his head snickering, unfazed by Jim's retort.

"Yer just like me, yeh hates ta lose." Jim felt his lip curl with rage as he struggled in vain.

Silver pulled back and began attempting to open the map. When it didn't budge he switched his cyborg arm to several other utensils but when it still refused to open Silver huffed, scratching his head. The cyborg spotted Jim smirking and thrust the map into his hands.

"Open it," he ordered as the pirates released Jim's arms. When the boy returned a defiant stare, Silver switched his metal hand to a pistol and pointed it at Alice's heart.

"I'd get busy," he growled. Jim looked at Alice who returned the nervous expression. Her green eyes locked on his and Jim hesitated.

"Don't do it," she croaked out. Jim could hear the fear in her voice, but she was trying to be brave for him. She was trying to be courageous. "Don't do it, Jim!" she yelled, gathering up her remaining valor and struggling against her bonds. Silver nodded to his ally who forced her on her knees as Silver cocked his gun as if to let Jim know he was growing impatient.

Jim let out a breath of defeat as he tapped the metal circles on the map causing them to sink in. He kept the frown on his face as he spun the sides of the sphere locking them into place as green and blue intelligent pixels (little pinpricks of light) shot from the map. The pirates all gasped as the pixels formed a green holographic image of the planet with intercepting rings circling it in the sky.

"By teh powers t'at be would yeh look!" Silver exclaimed, his cyborg eye turning luminous white with awe. The planet's image exploded as the pixels then formed a beam of light, shooting out of B.E.N's house and taking an immediate right like a giant blinking arrow pointing in the direction of the treasure. Silver laughed triumphantly before turning back to Jim, Alice, and B.E.N.

"Tie 'em up, and leave 'em with the others until we – what?" Silver gasped as the pixels disappeared, rushing back into the map that locked up once again.

"You want the map," Jim began, "you're taking Alice and I too." Silver let out an annoyed breath before shaking his head and chuckling.

"We'll take 'em all!" he announced. "Now let's go get tha' treasure mateys!" he shouted causing all of the pirates to cheer. Alice was pulled to her feet and shunted next to her friends as they headed for the longboat. Jim made to follow his comrades, but Silver's metal hand clamped down on his shoulder. "Yeh'll be coming with me, Jimbo," he announced and dragged Jim ahead of the group despite the boy constantly turning around to see if the others were okay.

Some of the pirates stayed behind as the rest of them filed into the longboat. Jim was forced to sit in the front while Silver put his beefy arm around Jim making the boy grimace at the cyborg's closeness. Alice sat in the back, her arms still bound behind her back next to Amelia and Delbert who also remained restrained, but at least their gags had been removed.

The longboat started up and it wasn't long before they were traveling through the vegetation, across dusty planes covered in trees that looked like giant centipedes rising up to eat them. At last the longboat came to a stop when the plant life became too thick to drive through. Silver leapt out of the boat with Jim and a few pirates behind.

They pointed a gun to his back, but Jim knew they wouldn't shoot since he was the one calling all the shots. He stopped causing Silver to turn around irritably.

"What's teh hold up, Jimbo?" Jim pointed to Alice.

"She's coming too." Silver looked at Alice and back to Jim. The boy scanned the longboat. He knew he couldn't push his luck but he'd probably be able to get one more of his friends to come with. Amelia was injured, and he knew Delbert wouldn't leave her side for anything, so that left B.E.N, the eccentric robot. Jim had a growing feeling B.E.N would come in quite handy despite his limited knowledge of Flint's treasure trove.

"I want B.E.N with me as well," he announced. Silver clenched his teeth but nodded toward Meltdown, the pirate staying behind. Alice and B.E.N's bonds were cut as the two of them hopped out of the longboat and landed next to Jim. Alice nursed her wrists cursing under her breath. All Jim managed to catch were the words, "dirty pirates…"

As Silver took the lead once more with Alice, Jim, and B.E.N following behind, Morph peeked out of Jim's pocket and gave a nervous purr.

"It's okay Morph, it's okay," Jim assured the shape shifter as he stroked Morph's head.

"Jimmy, Ally, I-I don't know about you two, but I'm starting to see my life pass in front of my eyes," B.E.N exclaimed, throwing out his hand. Jim and Alice looked at him. "At least, I think it's my life," he continued before suddenly exploding, "Was I ever dancing with an android named Lupé?"

Jim grabbed B.E.N's mouth shut.

"B.E.N, shh! This isn't over yet," he whispered, leading Alice and B.E.N on ahead. The pixels began to blink faster as they got nearer to a wall of large plants. Silver looked up with a greedy expression.

"We're gettin' close lads!" he announced, switching his metal hand to a sword. "I smell treasure awaiting!" The pirates cheered when Jim felt Silver grab the front of his shirt with his organic hand and yank him forward all the while slashing apart the undergrowth. Alice and B.E.N tried to keep up as Silver hacked apart the last row of plants expecting to see a pile of treasure.

The cyborg froze in his tracks. Jim's eyes widened in shock. The other pirates gasped.

There, five feet in front of them, was a cliff. A sheer drop leading to a large crater like canyon that was completely empty. Their arrow stopped right at the edge of the cliff, still blinking.

"Where is it?" Silver growled, venturing to the edge of the cliff with the others following close behind.

"I see nothing!" Onus cried. "One great big steenking hunk of nothing!"

Jim looked down as the pixels flew back into the map which sealed itself shut.

"What's goin' on, Jimbo?" Silver demanded turning to Jim who was frantically trying to reopen the map, but the golden device continued to lock him out.

"I don't know," he admitted. "I can't get it open."

"We should 'ave never listened to this boy!" Birdbrain Mary snapped as she jumped and pushed Jim.

"Hey!" he yelped, landing on his hands and knees.

"I'd suggest yeh get tha' gizmo going again, and fast!" Silver ordered.

"Let's rip his gizzard right out!" Oxy and Moron shouted.

"Throw him off a cliff!" Onus yelled.

"Excuse me?" Alice snapped, stepping in front of Jim protectively. "No one's throwing anyone off a cliff. It's not his fault he can't open it!"

"He's the rightful owner," Turnbuckle sneered. Alice rolled her eyes.

"Oye! Yeah, he's only the rightful owner when it doesn't work is that it?"

As Alice continued to keep a steady argument with the pirates Jim had made a most intriguing discovery. When he had been pushed, the palm of his hand had landed in some sort of fissure in the ground, but the ground didn't feel at all like dirt. It felt like metal. Jim frowned, clearing away the moss and seeing strange symbols engraved in the planet's surface. The rounded cleft he had felt seemed to procure the same symbols engraved on the map's surface.

"Enough talking, I say she's the first to go!" Turnbuckle roared making the other pirates cheer. Alice's face paled but she held her ground.

"Didn't you hear what I was saying? This must be the end of the line! Someone got here before us! There's no treasure –" As Alice was talking Jim had turned the map around and pushed it into the spherical hole in the ground. Immediately the ground beneath their feet lit up with ancient symbols.

Alice's voice died as Jim stood up next to her.

"Thanks for distracting them," he said. Alice's jaw was hanging open, but she hurriedly closed it.

"Yeah, any time."

A green holographic ball rose up from the ground above the sphere, but before any of them had a chance to examine it further, a crackle like thunder could be heard echoing across the crater. Everyone looked up to see three green light beams shooting toward the cliff face. Alice jumped as they hit the edge of the cliff and shot seventy feet in the air generating a green triangular door revealing some sort of nebula inside.

"The Lagoon Nebula," Jim gasped.

"Impossible," Alice exclaimed. "I read about that. It's almost –"

"Halfway across teh galaxy," Silver finished, rubbing his chin in amazement.

"A big door," Jim breathed, touching a planet on the holo-map in front of them. "Opening and closing." He knew B.E.N would come in handy, and made a mental note to thank Alice later for suggesting they help the marooned robot in the first place. "B.E.N, is this the door you were talking about?"

The robot, who had been rather quiet, looked up.

"It seems familiar," he nodded. "But I can't put my finger on it."

Jim turned back around to see Alice scanning the map before touching a planet near a crescent moon.

"Hora," she breathed as an image of her mystic pink planet appeared.

"Montressor," Jim chuckled, touching his home planet and watching the door close and reopen to show an image of Jim's small brown planet with many craters and cliffs from extensive mining. "So that's how Flint did it," Jim said. "He used this portal to roam the universe stealing treasure!"

"But where'd he stash it all?" Silver growled, shoving the two kids out of the way. "Where's that blasted treasure?" he snapped, pressing location after location. Jim glared at the pirate's back when B.E.N grabbed the wires sticking out of his head.

"Treasure! Treasure…it's buried in the –"

"Buried in the centroid of the mechanism," Jim and Alice finished.

"What if," Jim started, tapping his chin, "the whole planet is the mechanism!" he exclaimed remembering the miles of machinery running through the planet. "And the treasure is buried in the center of this planet!"

Everyone looked at Silver who was still furiously tapping away at the hologram.

"And how in blue blazes are we supposed ta get there?" he snarled. Jim stepped forward and nudged the cyborg out of the way.

"Just, open the right door," he breathed, touching a planet in the center of the holographic ball. Treasure Planet.

In a fraction of a second the triangular door had closed and reopened to show a cavernous room: the core of the planet. Jim stepped forward and stuck his hand through the portal, feeling a watery substance lick at his skin, but when he came out the other side he was completely dry. Silver stepped after him, pushing on ahead. Alice came through with B.E.N at her heels and stood next to Jim. Her brow furrowed when she spotted a red blinking light across the floor, but because Silver had just crossed it and nothing happened she figured it didn't mean anything.

The other pirates pushed on ahead leaving Jim, Alice, Morph, and B.E.N behind.

"Ready for this?" Jim asked, turning to Alice and smiling. She returned the expression.

"Always," was her confident response. The young boy reached over and took Alice's hand, sliding his fingers between hers before the two of them took their first few steps toward the legendary Loot of A Thousand Worlds.


	14. On the Edge

_**Chapter 13**_

_**On the Edge**_

They stood on some sort of erected stage and followed the pirates' example by rushing to the very edge and looking up. It was breathtaking. It looked like an endless sea of gold and diamonds. There were treasure chests, thrones, crowns, jewels, drubloons, paintings, charms, goblets, statues, and even stacks of gold bricks. But the things that really captured everyone's attention were the large metal nozzles sticking out of the ceiling. Every few seconds they'd shoot huge blasts of purple energy into bulky metal outlets in the ground.

"This is enough treasure for everyone," Alice gasped. "I could use this to get away from my boarding school. I could construct my own home. I could buy books and toys, all the toys I want," she grinned. Jim passed her an odd look.

"Toys? Didn't you have any when you were a kid?"

"Well, I um…I had to improvise. I used scrub brushes for dolls and bowls for ships."

"You mean you've never had a toy? No play ship? No actual doll?"

"No," Alice shrugged, seeming ominously okay with this. Jim raised his eyebrows but decided to let it go. The pirates dove into the treasure, too absorbed in their greed to notice what their prisoners were doing.

"This all seems very familiar," B.E.N said, scratching his head. "I just can't remember why." Jim scanned the mountains of gold before spotting an old ship that was falling apart. He narrowed his eyes. Jim was sure he could get it going again. It wasn't as big as the Legacy, but much bigger than a longboat.

That's when Jim's eyes widened. It was Flint's ship! The ship that always appeared in the story books! It even had the metal hooks, and lethal weapons sticking out of the hull. He smirked and nudged B.E.N and Alice.

"Come on, we're getting out of here and we're not leaving empty handed."

"But-but-but Jimmy, wait," B.E.N called as Jim slid off the stage, towing Alice with him, still refusing to let go of her hand.

"What are you talking about?" she asked. Jim didn't respond, instead he led them to the side of the ship and at last had to let go of Alice's hand to jump up and help her and B.E.N up next.

"You know what's strange? I can't tell you how frustrating this is, Jimmy, but there's something that's nagging at the back of my mind," B.E.N prattled on, as Jim pulled him up and turned around to see Alice staring straight ahead in shock. He followed her gaze and his jaw hung open flabbergasted.

"Captain Flint!"

"In the flesh!" B.E.N yelped before getting a closer look. "Well, sort of, except for skin, organs, or anything that resembles flesh. That's not there."

"It's Captain Flint," Alice breathed as she stepped closer. "I don't believe this!"

"That's crazy, I mean, after all those childhood years of reading about Captain Flint and well…here he is," Jim agreed as the two of them examined his skeleton.

"No melted bones, no fractured ribs. Jim, I think Flint locked himself in the core to die with all his treasure," Alice said.

"Yeah, his teeth look pretty bad," Jim added, staring at his teeth when something caught his attention. Flint's bony hand was clamped tight over what looked like a bent circuit board.

"And yet – and yet it's so odd," B.E.N jabbered behind them. "I remember there was something horrible Flint didn't want anyone else to know, but I just can't remember what it was."

Jim grabbed Flint's fingers and twisted them back in order to pull the rusty metal from his fingers. Alice cocked her head as the two beheld the strange material.

"What is it?" she asked. Jim opened his mouth to reply when B.E.N let out a lurid wail.

"Oh my mind is a terrible thing to lose!" Jim and Alice spun around and stared at the back of B.E.N's head.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Alice asked.

"Oh yeah," Jim chuckled. "B.E.N, hold still," he ordered, grabbing the back of B.E.N's head and holding up the circuit.

"Ah! Jimmy, your hands are very, very cold back there and – whoa!" he gasped as the circuit connected to his wires and flew into its rightful place. Alice watched his green eyes blip out, portraying rows of numbers and symbols before converting to blue. "Hello," B.E.N gasped as Jim stepped back. "You know, Jimmy, Ally, I was just thinking…think – oh it's all coming back," he bellowed and grabbed Jim's shoulders, shaking him to communicate his exuberance. "All my memories right up until Flint pulled my memory circuit so I could never tell anyone about his BOOBY TRAP!"

Jim and Alice's smiles dropped as they heard a thunder-like boom in the distance.

"Speaking of which," B.E.N whimpered as all of them turned around to see several detonations occurring at the base of the metal nozzles above. "Flint wanted to make sure that nobody could ever get to his treasure, so he rigged this whole planet to blow higher than Kalepsian kite!" B.E.N yelled as one nozzle fell from the ceiling and pierced the treasure strewn floor below.

"That's what the blinking light must've been," Alice gasped.

"What blinking light?" Jim demanded.

"It was a red laser in front of the portal."

"And you didn't tell us?" Jim snapped.

"Silver crossed it before I could stop him but nothing happened, so I thought it was alright," Alice retorted haughtily.

"Run Jimmy! Run Ally! Run for your lives!" B.E.N interrupted when the ground gave a tremendous shake and the floor split open causing the treasure to begin sliding into the fissures spreading everywhere like thin ice.

"You two go back and help the Captain and Doc. If I'm not there in five minutes, leave without me," Jim ordered as he dove under the helm's control center.

"What? Are you crazy?" Alice shouted.

"I am not leaving my buddy Jimmy," B.E.N agreed as he grabbed Jim's ankles and pulled him out from under the control panel. Jim gave B.E.N his best unholy glare as he held two sparking wires in his hands. "Unless he looks at me like that," B.E.N gulped and let go of the boy's leg in his hand. "Bye Jim!"

"Alice, get out of here," Jim snapped, sliding back under the control panel and beginning to hotwire the ship.

"I'm not leaving you," she announced, setting his other foot down.

"You could die," Jim argued.

"Well, gee, if you haven't noticed, Hawkins, the whole planet is about to explode so unless you have some fluid that makes you invincible, like in my story, I'd theorize that you are just as capable of dying as well," Alice grumbled. She heard Jim release a small laugh.

"Alright, when I tell you to, I want you to toggle the green switch on the panel up there."

"Aye, Captain," Alice saluted as she patted Morph to calm him down. The lasers beams were out of control now. They seemed to be blasting every inch of the ground they could. The treasure was all but gone, having fallen into the crevices and melted in the magma below.

The only thing that remained in the core was Jim, Alice, Morph, a dead Flint, and their boatload of treasure.

"Jim," Alice pleaded when a laser came dangerously close to their ship. Another fissure appeared on the other side of the room and began to zoom toward the landing their boat was on. "Jim!"

"Now!" Jim ordered as Alice toggled the switch. She heard the ship give off a low hum before the jets on the keel burst into life.

"Yes," Alice laughed in relief as their ship began rise. Jim got to his feet and grabbed the wheel. "You're a genius," she praised, giving Jim a quick hug. "You're an amazing, wonderful, genius!" Alice didn't notice the blush creeping up on Jim's cheeks as he coughed and gently pushed her off.

"Escape, hug later," he said so it was Alice's turn to blush. Jim told her to take up a place near the radar dials as he began to turn the ship.

"They're dusty I can't see anything –"

"Ah, Jimbo, Ally!" Both Jim and Alice whipped around to see Silver climbing over the rail of the ship and landing on the deck. "Aren't yeh the seventh and eighth wonders of the universe!" Jim looked around frantically before finding a sword next to Flint's skeleton and pointing it at Silver.

"Get back," he growled, pushing Alice behind him as he held Silver at sword point. For a moment the cyborg looked at his feet before raising his head allowing Jim and Alice to see the dark expression he now wore. His cybernetic eye turned blood red.

"I liked yeh two, but I've come too far ta let yeh stand between me and me treasure," he growled, beginning to step forward causing Alice and Jim to back up against the wheel. Just as Silver took another imposing step one of the lasers nearby changed direction and hit the side of the ship causing it to rock precariously.

"Agh!" Jim and Alice screamed as the two of them, as well as Silver, were thrown from the ship. Most of the ground was now broken up into pieces or else completely nonexistent. A pedestal remained beside the ship. Alice felt the wind get knocked out of her as she hit the metal surface before seeing Jim slide right past her.

"Jim!" she yelled, trying to grab him, but Jim slid out of reach flying off the edge of the pedestal and just managing to grab onto a metal brick sticking out of the cavern wall right before he would have continued down into the fiery lava below. Alice felt her breathing hitch as she spotted the gap between her and Jim. She was so close to the ledge. Her heart pounded and her brain spun, but Jim couldn't hold on forever.

Silver, on the other hand, had grabbed onto the edge of the ship and pulled it sideways out of the laser's destructive path so it slammed into the side of the pedestal.

Alice swallowed her fear. She had to be brave, but the height was dizzying and knowing if she slipped she'd burn up was not helping. Jim gripped the brick helplessly as Alice swallowed her horror and stretched out her hand.

"Jim, reach for me!" she ordered. Jim looked over his shoulder and let go with one hand, but they were still a good foot away. "Reach!"

"I can't," Jim yelled. Alice saw his fingers slipping as she looked at the gap far below. She couldn't do this. She couldn't.

_You have to._

If she didn't, Jim would die. He was her only friend, and over the past few weeks he'd become far more than a friend. Jim saw her hesitation and gave her a sad look as he let his fingers slide more. Alice saw his distressed expression as he let his hand begin to slip. In that moment Alice felt a wave of heat explode in her chest like a forest fire blazing through her veins.

"Don't – you – let – go!" she growled in a low voice, scooting to the very edge of the platform and stretching her hand out as far as she could despite the height. Jim reached back, but it still wasn't enough. Even Jim knew that if Alice managed to take hold of his hand, he'd still be heavy enough to pull them both down. His hope was dwindling and as if to prove a point the brick he was holding onto broke causing him to cry out as he slid farther down, grabbing onto another brick at the last moment, but that too began to crack.

"Jim! Jim, grab my hand!" Alice whimpered stretching her hand down, but by now it was hopeless. Jim looked at her. He saw the tears in her green eyes, saw her face contorted with pain. "Please, reach for me! Please don't die," she sobbed. When Jim didn't respond Alice whirled around to see Silver looking between the treasure and Jim. "Silver, help me save him! Help me save Jim," she begged. Silver stared at her. He stared at her horrified green eyes, at Jim's slipping fingers.

"I –" he started, breathing hard as he looked between the treasure and Jim and Alice. His heart thundered in his chest and for the first time in his life Silver felt at a loss. He had always assumed he'd kill anyone who tried to stand between him and Flint's trove. For as long as he could remember, Silver had not given two drubloons about anything but finding the gold. A couple months ago he would have taken off with the treasure in a heartbeat, but now…

"Please, don't do this. Help me safe my best friend," Alice pleaded, cutting into his thoughts. Silver took one last longing look at the treasure before he huffed.

"Oh, blast me for a fool!" he cried, letting go of the ship, sliding to the edge of the pedestal, grabbing Alice's waist so she would have more room to reach down and grab Jim's hand. Just as the last brick crumbled, Jim reached up and caught Alice's hands so that the two of them were now suspended over open air.

Alice felt the icy fear grip her heart, but she said nothing, concentrating on Jim's blue eyes and his tense smile.

"You did it, Alice," he whispered as Silver pulled the two of them up. All three of them were panting and releasing nervous chuckles as Jim and Alice gave Silver fond looks. But the cyborg wasn't paying attention to them. He was staring despondently at the ship he had just let go of. It floated away from their plinth and crossed paths with an energy beam. Within seconds the ship crackled and exploded sending melting gold coins and precious gems everywhere.

Jim, Alice, and Silver all covered their heads as splinters of wood and gold rained down. The core was collapsing and they didn't have much time left to escape. Silver stood up with Jim and Alice at his side.

"We gotta get ta the portal, follow me closely yeh two and don't yeh dare die on me," Silver ordered. Jim and Alice shared a grin as Silver took the lead, guiding them on the safest path toward the portal. And this time, the two cabin kids knew they could trust the old salt.

However, a thought remained rolling around in Jim's mind. Silver had given up the treasure to help Alice save him, but why? Moments before the incident Silver had been willing to go to some length to retrieve the treasure, but in the next he had given it all up to save his cabin boy. He had given it up to save a scruffy, rebellious teenager who didn't know how to pick his fights and had certainly lost his way on several different accounts.

Jim watched Silver carefully as they ran for the portal. Pirate or not, Jim knew there was a heart under all that hardware and brawns, and when Jim thought about it he, Alice, and Silver had all seemed to pick out the good in each other despite their arguments and original distrust.

Perhaps all the treasure in Flint's trove didn't mean anything at all. The real treasure in life was friendship, courage, and love.

**A/N: Had to rewrite the ending to this chapter several times, but I finally got it right. I also wasn't sure how I felt about really changing the most epic part of the movie, but I figured that throwing Alice into the equation would pretty much change the solution so I hope everyone enjoys it despite the differences.**

**I also forgot to mention MERRY LATE CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! Hope the holidays were great! :D**

**Special thanks to xPoppyx for the awesome reviews! I really appreciate them :)**


	15. A Planet's Destruction

_**Chapter 14**_

_**A Planet's Destruction**_

Jim felt the cool surface of the portal as he, Silver, and Alice jumped through.

"Silver, you gave up the –"

"Tis a lifelong obsession, Jim, I'll get over it," Silver shrugged, cutting off the cabin boy's question. Jim frowned but let it go as Alice pointed to the sky.

"Look!" she called as the three of them looked up to see the Legacy descending toward them with Delbert and Amelia at the helm and B.E.N leaning over the side.

"Aloha, Jimmy, Ally!" B.E.N called as the Legacy stopped next to the trembling cliff face so Jim, Alice, and Silver could climb over the wooden rail. The minute their feet touched the deck B.E.N was already describing the situation.

"Hurry people! We have exactly two minutes and forty seconds until planet's destruction!" Jim, Alice, and Silver all shared a nervous look as they raced toward the helm. Delbert was steering because of Amelia's injuries, but her tongue was still as sharp as a whip. As Silver followed Jim and Alice up to the helm he began to breathlessly thank the captain.

"Cap'n!" cried Silver. "Yeh dropped from teh heaven's in the nick o' –"

"Save your claptrap for the judge, Silver," Amelia spat and turned away leaving Jim and Alice to watch their friend release an uneasy laugh. As Alice looked over the rail she could see the ground mile after mile breaking apart revealing a quaking volcanic core below. She bit her lip and turned back to the radar panel with Jim.

"Wait, there's something showing up…" Jim trailed off, tapping the radar that was flashing from all the flying debris. "I can't – I can't make out if there's something coming toward us or –" As if in answer an earsplitting crack resounded around the ship. All of them looked up to see a chunk of the planet crashing into the mast above their heads and sending the sail and part of the boom cascading toward the ship's cannon. The Legacy's defensive gun burst in a shower of sparks and metal components. Alice, Delbert, Jim, and Amelia all held on as the ship dipped quite suddenly, flying at lower speed and losing altitude.

"Mizzen sail demobilized, Captain!" B.E.N called, staring at the mess of buttons and wires on his chest compass. "Thrusters at only thirty percent of capacity!"

"Thirty percent!" Delbert gasped, turning to face Amelia who looked at him with a worried expression. "That means we'll never clear the planet's explosion in time."

All of them held their breath as this news sunk in. Alice turned to see Jim's reaction, but found he had run to the observation deck protruding from the ship's helm. He looked behind them at the portal and then back toward the cannon's dying thruster. He held his breath for a moment realizing what he had to do.

"We've got to turn around!" he said, leaping down the helm's stairs.

"What?" Amelia replied in a tone that suggested Jim had lost his marbles.

"There's a portal back there," Jim called, rushing toward the cannon. "It can get us out of here!"

"Pardon me, Jim, but didn't that portal open onto a _raging inferno_?" Delbert shouted hysterically.

"Yes," Jim grunted, pulling a piece of bent metal away from what remained of the cannon. "But I'm going to change that."

"How?" Alice asked as she, Silver, and Morph hurried to his side.

"I'm going to open a different door."

"Captain really I-I just don't see how this is –"

"Listen to the boy!" Silver interrupted the bumbling Doctor.

"One minute twenty nine seconds 'til planet's destruction!" B.E.N hollered. Alice looked over the rail through all the debris that was now flying through the air. The ground was almost nonexistent and energy beams shot from the terrain in every direction. She looked back toward Jim who was attempting to harness the cannon's thruster to the metal board.

"You're going to fly through that, aren't you?" Alice asked, as she and Silver kneeled beside him. Jim looked at her.

"Remember that time I told you about nearly ending up in juvenile hall because of solar surfing in restricted areas?"

"Yeah," Alice nodded, unsure of where this was going.

"Well," Jim grinned, leaning back to show her the board. "This is, more or less, a solar surfer." Alice blanched as Jim then turned to Silver.

"I need some way to attach this," he said, tapping the thruster.

"I thought yeh'd never ask," Silver chuckled, switching his arm to a welding gun and melting the metal thruster to the board. "There yeh go," he grunted.

"There yeh go," Morph mimicked as the two helped Jim balance his makeshift surfer on the edge of the Legacy's rail. Jim hopped on and adjusted his stance.

"Okay, now no matter what happens keep the ship headed straight to that portal," he insisted, staring Silver and Alice straight in the eye. Silver pursed his lips and Alice gave Jim a look of dread. She swallowed it quick, however, and reached out to give Jim's hand a comforting squeeze, just as he had done to her, when B.E.N interrupted.

"Fifty eight seconds!" Jim peeled his gaze away from Alice and hit the lever near the thruster with his foot so that the improvised engine sparked and burst into life propelling Jim off the ship and into the debris field. Alice felt the words, "be safe" still lingering on her lips. She hadn't even gotten to say goodbye.

"Well you heard him!" Silver roared, turning around toward the Captain and Doctor. "Get this blasted heap turned around!" Captain Amelia didn't look pleased to be ordered around by a pirate, but she didn't object as she turned to Delbert and instructed him to turn the ship back toward the portal.

"Aye Captain," Delbert agreed halfheartedly as he spun the wheel causing the ship to make and immediate U-turn. Alice leaned over the rail staring at the speedy blur that was Jim, whizzing between the flying rubble. Every time Alice was sure Jim would hit something, he dodged out of the way just in time. He was a natural! She'd thought he was brilliant in the longboat when Silver had let them take a joyride and a genius when hotwiring the ship, but Jim's true colors were visible when he rode his solar surfer.

Silver came up next to Alice's side as they both watched Jim up ahead.

"He'll be a'right lass," the cyborg spoke, trying to comfort the girl, yet even he knew his words were empty promises. To his surprise, Alice grabbed his hand and squeezed it appreciatively.

"I know," she whispered, though it was barely audible over the roar of the detonations and wind. "I know he will."

"Down to the right! The right!" Amelia snapped at Delbert as he hurried to keep up with her demands.

"I know!" he shouted back. "I know! Will you just let me drive?"

Silver and Alice shared a small laugh, but their attentions were quickly focused back on Jim.

The boy, himself, was thinking of nothing else except the predicament he found himself in. His sole concentration was avoiding any harmful wreckage that could put an end to his life and his friends'. But the blood of a spacer coursed through his veins and he felt the power diffusing throughout his body from his head to his toes and he couldn't help the adrenaline induced yell that escaped his lips just like all the times back home. He'd constructed his first solar surfer when he was eight and ever since then he'd driven his mother nuts by taking off for a few hours and returning with plenty of injuries. Some had even left scars, but Jim refused to give up such freedom.

Flying became his new hobby after his father abandoned him. The pure sensation of falling and floating combined felt as though a weight had been taken off his shoulders. When he returned to the ground, however, the crushing emotion would always prevail, but when Jim had met Alice and Silver that feeling almost seemed to naturally disappear. He grew so attached to those two individuals he forgot that the sky was once his sanctuary.

All of these recollections traveled through Jim's mind faster than a comet as he angled his board out of the way of the planet's turbulence. Every time his board spluttered and his power expired, Jim would shift his foot back, hitting the lever on the rear that scraped against the metal and causing the thrusters to restart, sending him charging forward.

Just as Jim was sure he'd make it to the portal in time his board coughed and his fire power ran out. He involuntarily hit the lever in the back, but when nothing, not even a spark, was produced the ever persistent panic inside him came to.

"No," he gasped, pressing the lever harder and harder, again and again, but the engine remained dormant. "No. No!" he cried as his board curved down and began to plummet toward the severed ground and the boiling volcanic emission below.

Alice, back on the ship, had turned away for just a moment but when her eyes shifted back to Jim she saw that he was losing his elevation.

"What's happening?" she asked. "Why is he doing that?" Her breathing hitched when she looked at Silver's petrified expression. "Silver, what's happening?" she asked in a weak voice, even though Alice already knew. She knew without a shadow of a doubt that Jim was going down and he was going down fast. Alice clutched the rail as the ship drew closer and closer to the exploding core. "No," she breathed as tears entered her eyes. "No, he's got to live! He's got to survive!" she screamed as Jim fell into the chasm.

"Come on, lad," Silver hissed through clenched teeth as Morph covered his eyes.

"Seventeen seconds!" B.E.N yelled from the helm.

Jim stared at the center of the planet rushing up to meet him. He gazed at the ship getting closer, and he observed the metal walls on either side of him as he picked up speed. In that single instant of panic the world seemed muted and Jim's head cleared. Friction was the key. He needed a whole lot of friction and plenty of heat. Luckily, Jim had just that. His brow furrowed in concentration as he flipped his board around and jammed the thruster against the metal wall.

Sparks flew as the two alloys ground against each other. Jim gripped the edge of his surfer and bent his knees when the thruster fumed and released a wave of sheer fire. Jim released a silent breath of relief as he tilted his board up, shot back up the gully and turned the surfer toward the portal right as the Legacy flew over him.

"Seven," B.E.N began the countdown as Alice burrowed into Silver's side.

"Six." The cyborg held onto the lass and Alice thought that if she'd ever had a father, this is what his hugs would feel like.

"Five." Delbert cringed as the pure wave of heat and light from the portal enveloped the Legacy throwing everything into a fiery glow.

"Four!" Jim shifted his foot back, praying his board wouldn't die again.

"Three!" Jim tilted his board sideways to have better access at the portal's holographic map and extended his hand.

"Two!" He felt his finger just reaching into the map's green hemisphere. With all his might Jim tapped the destination right as the Legacy's bow entered the portal.

"One."

**A/N: Ah! I'm a horrible person for cutting it off right there, but I'm working non stop on this story so everyone should be happy when the next chapter comes out rather soon haha. **

**Special thanks to: Chersti, xPoppyx (Many thanks for the continuous reviews!), redfox-akatsuki, RavenGirl-LightandDarkSides for putting me as an author in your favorites, putting this story in story alert or your favorites, or reviewing because it means a lot to me! Thank you so much! **


	16. Sealed With a Kiss

_**Chapter 15**_

_**Sealed With a Kiss**_

It was a peaceful evening on Crescentia, one of the galaxy's finest spaceports. Citizens bustled about, closing up shops and preparing to spend a nice night wrapped up in their beds. Upon the morrow they'd set off into the galaxy to discover new worlds, or make friends with old ones. Life on Montressor and its spaceport had changed very little during the past five months in space.

The sky was a mixture of Etherium azure and cloudy roseate blanketing the surrounding stars as the Montressians prepared for a warm summer's eve. The peacefulness of the area was only mildly disrupted by a few late ferries or cargo ships taking off along with mantabirds flying about, trying to locate a late night snack.

No one expected such a disturbance so late in the evening, nor did they expect such a cataclysmic show. Those that were still awake and about at the hour thought they were experiencing a pirate raid far off in the distance, but from the emerald flash this theory was proven incorrect.

It was, in fact, no pirate raid, nor battle in the sky.

It was Jim Hawkins escaping an explosive planet followed by the crew on the space galleon RLS Legacy. They passed through the portal with not a moment to spare leaving it to rupture behind them in a sweltering outburst.

"Woo-hoo! Yeah! Wow!" Jim screamed in complete exuberance as the crew of the Legacy cheered and threw up their hands in relief and happiness. Alice was jumping up and down, pumping her fist in the air and cheering as loud as Silver was.

"Yes! Yes!" she bellowed.

"Oh you done it, Jimmy! Yeh done it boy!" Silver shouted, running to the side of the ship with Alice. "Didn't I say the lad had greatness in 'em?" Jim circled around, and leapt off his board, watching it spin off into space. Morph was the first to fly over and cover him in licks.

"Morph! Morph, stop," Jim chuckled trying to push the protoplasm away.

"Jimmy!" B.E.N cried, cutting off Alice as he ran to hug Jim first. "That was unforgettable! I know you don't like touching, but get ready for a hug big guy because I gotta hug yah!" B.E.N laughed and wrapped all of his thin metal limbs around Jim. And the strange thing was Jim hugged him back. He wasn't much of a touchy feely guy, but the jubilation building up in his chest was ready to burst.

"B.E.N," he exclaimed, swinging the robot around before putting him back on his feet.

"Hey you hugged me back," B.E.N choked out. "Oh I promised myself I wouldn't cry," he sniffled, immediately breaking down against Jim's chest. Jim smiled and patted the robot's back, but there was one person he was really looking forward to hugging.

Alice grinned running forward as Jim removed B.E.N and calmed him down. Once the robot was semi in control, Alice turned back to Jim with the biggest smile he'd ever seen her wear.

"Jim," she cried, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him close. Jim hugged her back, grinning into her shoulder. "I thought you were a goner, but you pulled through." She drew back to meet Jim's eyes. "You did it, Jim. You did it," she praised. Jim looked at the ground unable to contain his raw emotion. Should he try to…? "So I guess calling you genius was quite appropriate considering you just –" Jim didn't hesitate this time. He had made his decision. With one swift move he had leaned forward the rest of the way, closing off any distance between the two. Alice's eyes went wide when Jim cut her off by inclining his head and kissing her.

Right smack dab on the lips. His arms around her waist brought her closer as he planted an eager kiss on her lips. Both teenagers felt fire crackers erupt in their guts. Alice was sure her heart had just fallen into her stomach, but her eyelids slowly fluttered closed as she melted into the new feeling, never wanting to release him, never wanting this moment of pure bliss and satisfaction to end. It was her very first kiss, and it was beyond the realms of even her imagination. She smiled into the kiss. He was her prince charming.

By raising one hand and placing it against her cheek Jim was able to keep her in that position when he felt her kissing him back. It seemed like they'd experienced a lifetime together before they heard a slight cough and gradually pulled apart to see Amelia and Delbert standing there with amusement plastered on their faces.

"Well, Mr. Hawkins, Miss Alice," Amelia cleared her throat as Alice and Jim stepped away from each other, blushing. "I'm going to, ahem, turn a blind eye on this situation, as some would say. I hope such public displays of affection won't become a habitual routine with the two of you."

"No ma'am," Jim answered, though Alice did feel him lace his fingers with hers at their sides. Amelia chose to ignore this too as she continued.

"You both exhibited incredible wit on this escapade to Treasure Planet, and because of your courage," –Alice tried not to let her disbelief show– "I'd be proud to recommend both of you to the Interstellar Academy. They could use men and women like you two."

"But, ma'am," Alice piped up once Amelia had finished. "What about my boarding school? I mean – I have nowhere else to go."

"Well, Miss Alice, the Interstellar is quite like a boarding school, only here you will be trained to become spacers. Whether it be a Captain's position you pursue, a rigger, specialist, first mate, or any other such position, this is the school to attend. I will be happy to contact your school and sort out the situation."

"You would do that, for me?" Alice gasped.

"Of course," Amelia gave her a small smile. "However, if all went well and you were to attend the Interstellar, you would still have to wait three months at your boarding school until September first because currently they are the only place you can stay and they still are, technically, your legal guardians." Alice looked down in defeat when Amelia had finished. Jim couldn't help but notice. Three months! Three months not seeing Alice after all they'd been through?

"Captain, if it's alright, she could stay with me and my mom until that time," he spoke up. Amelia's ears twitched.

"Alice, you said your mother and father gave you to the boarding school when you were only a baby?" Amelia asked.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Mr. Hawkins, her mother and father entrusted this child unto that school. She cannot get up and leave unless she is adopted." Jim and Alice's faces fell. "On the other hand, I may be able to pull a few strings," Amelia smirked.

Jim and Alice looked up hopefully.

"Jim, adoptions are costly and I'm sure the two of you would not like to take up the title of brother and sister after such a show of affection not five minutes ago."

"Gross," Alice agreed. Jim nodded.

"Yet, it just so happens, Alice, that there is a document called a Warden Paper. It's not the same as an adoption where you legally become part of their family, but it has its benefits," Amelia said. Alice and Jim were all ears. "The Warden document allows an adult to become your new legal guardian. It does not have to be family member, nor distant relative. It could be your best friend, if your best friend is over the age of eighteen.

"If, your mother, Jim, is willing to accompany me and Alice to Hora and sign this document, she will be under your care but will retain her title as orphan."

Jim looked at Alice who was breathing hard, completely shocked.

"Amelia," Delbert began. "I think it would be best for you to recover from your injuries before any more voyages take place." At first, Jim and Alice thought their Captain would snap back something witty and condescending, but to their surprise she agreed to his terms.

"Very well, the Doctor will accompany you. Jim, will your mother be willing to do this?"

Jim hesitated.

"I don't know," he replied honestly. "I think she should get to know Alice first."

"That may also be arranged. There is no rush of course," Amelia said before she let out a small groan. "Blast these injuries," she cursed as Delbert put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"We can talk about this later. For now, let's get you settled in," he said, his voice ever gentle, and led her away. Jim and Alice shared a look.

"Jim, your mom doesn't have to take me in."

"She's going to love you, Alice, trust me," Jim smiled.

"But –"

"Wait a minute, where's Silver?"

"He was by the stairs leading to the…" She trailed off when she realized where he must've gone. The two of them ran below deck to the longboat hold, expecting to see the salty cyborg already gone, but to their surprise he was just beginning to untie the last skiff.

"Morphy, we gotta make tracks," he whispered to Morph who was buzzing around his head. Jim and Alice both shared a relieved grin.

"You never quit, do you?" Jim started, as he and Alice walked forward.

"Ah, Jimbo, Ally! Ha-ha," he laughed in apprehension. "I was just merely making sure our last longboat was safe and secure." As he said this he tied the longboat back to its post, but the knot was poorly done. Both Jim and Alice reached to redo it at the same time and laughed in embarrassment when their hands collided.

Jim cleared his throat and leaned back as he watched Alice retie it just the way Silver had taught them.

"That should hold it," she announced, standing back up.

"I taught yeh two too well," Silver chuckled. There was a momentary pause in which both Alice and Jim gave Silver a look that said, 'I know why you want to leave'. "Now, if yeh two don't mind, we would just as soon avoid prison, lil' Morphy here he's a free spirit," Silver said as Morph squeaked and buzzed around his master's head. "Bein' in a cage, would break his heart," Silver mumbled, stroking Morph who released a sad purr as if to prove the man's point.

Alice wasn't completely sure, but she thought she could detect a hidden meaning in his words. Silver seemed to be using Morph as an excuse to describe himself. For a while Alice and Jim stared at him as Silver returned a sheepish smile.

At last the two shared a look. Alice gave Jim an encouraging nod. Silver watched as Jim grinned and pulled the lever opening the hatch below the longboat.

"Ah," Silver sighed as he turned around to see Jim helping Alice untie the boat. He had to chuckle. Those two, he knew they'd end up together in the end. Once Jim and Alice had stood back up, Silver started in on his proposition. "What say yeh two ship out wit' us?"

"Ship out with us!" Morph mimicked transforming into a three cornered hat before falling onto Jim's head and covering his eyes. Alice giggled as Morph waited before floating over to sit on her head a while.

"The three of us! Hawkins, Silver, an' their sidekick the terrible Alice! Full o' ourselves and no ties to anyone," Silver finished in excitement. Alice could see the obvious expectation in the cyborg's offer, but she wasn't ready to throw away a noble future for the life of a rogue pirate.

Jim was the one to take the lead.

"You know," he started, pulling the Morph-hat off of Alice's head and tickling it until it transformed back into Morph. "When I got on this boat, I would've taken you up on that offer in a second, but, uh, I met this old cyborg and he told me I could chart my own course. That's what I'm going to do," Jim concluded, staring out the open hatch far into the starry evening sky. Silver smiled in understanding and turned back to Alice who was trying hard not to get choked up.

"I have a future now, Silver. Jim and I both do. It was a future both of us never thought we'd have until you came along."

"Ah, now don't be like dat, lass. The two o' yeh were doin' just fine without me," Silver replied modestly.

"We're going to miss you, Silver," Alice sniffed, trying to hold back her tears.

"Ahem, now, now, none o' us need ta start cryin' I mean look at yeh! Yer both glowin' like solar fires! Yeh two are something special. I just know yer gonna rattle teh stars you are." By now Jim and Alice couldn't hold back the tears. They both stepped forward and hugged Silver. This time the cyborg didn't hesitate, he wrapped them both in his arms and for a long time they remained like that.

At last Silver cleared his throat.

"Uh, got a bit o' grease in this cyborg eye o' mine," he grunted, turning away to wipe the fresh tears in his own eyes. Alice and Jim shared a knowing smile as they too tried to wipe away their tears. Morph, who had been hovering about their heads, upon understanding this was goodbye, broke down into open sobs and melted into a pool of water in Jim's hands.

"Ah, hey, Morph, I'll see you around, okay?" he reassured the little guy.

"Yeah, Morph, we'll meet again someday," Alice choked out. Morph looked between the two as he gloomily mimicked Alice's last three words before giving both of their cheeks a sad lick. Silver watched the scene in quiet acknowledgment as Morph floated over to land on his organic hand.

Over the course of the adventure, Morph had proved to be a loyal friend to both Jim and Alice despite his occasional pranks. Silver could see the little blob's obvious attachment, and despite Silver's own affection for his pet, he knew what he had to do. He loved the little fella. He and Morph had been through a lot together from the day Silver had rescued him from Proteus One all the way up to when they first boarded the Legacy, which is why Silver knew this would be no easy task.

"Morphy, I got a job for yeh," he announced, staring at Morph who gave a little squeak. "I need yeh to keep an eye on these here pups," he whispered, repeating the same instructions he had given the protoplasm their first day on the Legacy. Jim and Alice stared at Silver curiously. "Will yeh do me that as a favor?" Silver choked out, trying not to break down again.

Morph had been Silver's best friend when no one else was, and yet he was giving him away. Morph replied by saluting proudly and rubbing against the old pirate's cheek. "Aw," Silver chuckled as Morph then buzzed over to Jim and Alice who laughed and tickled the purring shape shifter.

Perhaps giving Morph up was a mistake, but the old cyborg wanted Jim and Alice to remember him with something when they were up there in the stars and he hoped Morph would be a light for the two of them just like he had been a true friend to Silver all those years. Jim and Alice then stepped back to watch Silver climb into the longboat as the cables began to pull the boat over and above the hatch.

"Oh!" he gasped, remembering something. "One more thing." Jim and Alice's jaws dropped as he reached into his coat pocket and produced a handful of gold and precious gems. "That's for yer dear mother, Jimbo, to rebuild tha' inn o' hers!" Silver laughed, tossing the jewels up to Jim who caught them in amazement.

"We'll never forget you Silver!" Alice called as the longboat began to lower into the sky.

"Oye, Alice, yeh jus' make sure yer new boyfriend stays outta trouble!" Silver laughed when both of their faces colored.

"And you make sure you stay out of trouble, you old scalawag," Jim chuckled.

"Jimbo, lad, when 'ave I ever done otherwise?" he teased right as the cables snapped leaving Jim and Alice to watch Silver take off into the Etherium, his laughter echoing all the way.

They both stood still for a long time, gazing off into the star field beyond. When Alice was sure Silver was gone, she turned to face Jim who still had a smile lingering on his lips.

"I'm going to miss him," he finally sighed, the smile leaving his face.

"I am too," Alice agreed as Morph settled contentedly on her shoulder. "But he'll be okay, and who knows? Maybe someday we'll see him again." That brought the grin back to Jim's face as he turned and looked at her.

"We should probably go tell the Captain he escaped, eh?"

"She won't be happy."

"She can live with it," Jim smiled, taking Alice's hand as the two of them headed back up the stairs onto main deck. It would be early morning before they officially reached Crescentia so Delbert and B.E.N were trying to help clean up while Amelia rested in her stateroom.

"There you two are," Delbert exclaimed upon seeing Jim and Alice coming up the stairs. "The Captain was looking for you two and –" He stopped when he processed where Jim and Alice had just come from. "Where's that blasted pirate Silver, Jim?" Delbert asked, giving him a wary look.

"He escaped," Jim announced. "We went down to the longboat hold and tried to reach him in time, but he was already taking off in the skiff." Delbert seemed to accept the lie given. After all, in the Doctor's mind, it didn't seem plausible Jim would just release a fiend after their near death experiences on Treasure Planet.

"Well, just wait until your mother hears about this adventure, Jim," he cried, changing the subject dramatically. "Of course we may downplay the life threatening parts," he added as an afterthought. Jim and Alice both laughed as the Doctor clapped his hands together. "Well, we're all tired and hungry. I'm going to see what leftover food we can endanger – er – indulge in until we make port tomorrow. If you two could kindly start cleaning up, it would be very appreciated," he smiled, heading down to the galley leaving Jim, Alice, Morph, and B.E.N to help clean off some of the debris.

Morph and B.E.N started on one side of the ship while Alice and Jim began salvaging parts from the destroyed cannon.

"So what does this make us?" Alice suddenly spoke up as she swept more rubble into one of many piles. Jim, who had been pulling piece after mechanical piece from the cannon, looked up.

"What do you mean?"

"Now that we kissed…I mean, I've never really kissed anyone," she muttered, her face flushing in embarrassment. Jim chuckled and got to his feet.

"Well, I suppose this makes us a couple."

"But I heard that people can kiss and not actually date."

"You mean a thing?"

"Yes. Is this a thing?"

"Depends on if you want to make it one," Jim shrugged, stepping closer.

"Or is it a fling?" Alice asked.

"What's the difference?"

"I don't know."

"Do you want to be a couple?"

"I've never been in a relationship."

"Neither have I." Jim and Alice shared an amused look before Jim stepped forward and pulled Alice into another kiss. It was not as perfect as in her storybooks, that was what Alice noted rather quickly, but despite their awkward, unpracticed kisses, Alice had to agree it was the best feeling she'd ever experienced.

When they both broke apart, they laughed and looked away.

"Alice, would you like to be my girlfriend?" Jim teased, trying to keep the mood light. Alice smiled.

"Yes, yes I would." They were both leaning in for their third kiss when Amelia called them from the helm.

"I'd like a word with the two of you in the galley please," she croaked, shakily making her way below deck. Alice looked at Jim who shrugged as they followed her into the galley where Delbert was beginning to lay out some purps and leftover pigeon pie he'd managed to heat up.

"What is it, Captain?" Jim asked as Delbert helped Amelia take a seat.

"Where is Mr. Silver?"

"Alice and I went down to check the longboat hold, but he'd already gone. He escaped, ma'am," Jim replied, retelling the exact lie he'd told Delbert.

"Blast it!" Amelia hissed as she got to her feet. "I best go send out a message to any authorities in the area."

"No!" Jim suddenly shouted, getting to his feet at once. Delbert, Amelia, and Alice all stared at him speechless.

"Excuse me?" Amelia growled, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Uh-uh-well, uh –" Jim fumbled. Alice got up and put a hand on his shoulder.

"What Jim's trying to say is that we should all take a break before we go hunting for pirates again, besides, Captain, you're injured and should rest. We can take care of it in the morning, even, perhaps after you've recovered from your injuries in the hospital."

"I didn't think Mr. Hawkins was so worried about my health," Amelia said, still giving the two of them a dubious expression.

"You're our Captain, ma'am," Jim added, getting his act under control. "Of course we all care about your health."

"I agree with Jim, Captain. Let your injuries heal before you worry about Silver," Delbert spoke up.

"Nonsense, Doctor, he'll be halfway across the galaxy by that time," she argued, but upon seeing Jim, Alice, and Delbert's unyielding looks she relented. "Very well, but if I ever get my hands on that blasted bucket of bolts, I can assure you, he will be hanged," Amelia snarled.

Jim and Alice's worried look went unnoticed as B.E.N and Morph finally joined them in the galley and all of them enjoyed a warm dinner before deciding to retire for the night. Since B.E.N was a robot and therefore never grew tired, Amelia had assigned him as lookout for the night and set the ship on autopilot, heading in a direct course toward Montressor's spaceport.

As Jim and Alice entered the now vacant crew's quarters (since the pirates were currently spending the night in the brig), Alice couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen next.

"Mind if I take the bunk above you?" she asked Jim, motioning to the hammock strung up above his own.

"Sure thing, it's better than Mr. Snuff, that I can safely say," Jim chuckled making Alice smile as she climbed into the hammock over Jim's. The two settled in for the night, but neither of them could sleep.

"Jim?" Alice whispered after a while.

"Yeah?"

"What do you think's going to happen tomorrow, or even the day after that? Do you think your mom will sign those papers?" Jim was silent for a while.

"I think," he began. "I think everything is going to turn out okay from now on."

"What if your mom doesn't like me?" Alice asked nervously, leaning over her hammock and looking down at Jim who stared back up at her with his piercing blue eyes. Even in the dark she saw that half smile spread across his face.

"She's going to love you, Alice."

"What if she doesn't?"

"Hey, trust me on this," Jim whispered, reaching up and taking her hand. "Everything's going to be okay, you'll see." Alice smiled.

"Thanks, Jim, for everything."

"You're welcome, and thank you."

"For what?"

"Everything," Jim smirked making Alice giggle.

"It's the end of an incredible journey isn't it?" she sighed, letting go of Jim's hand and rolling onto her back.

"Nah, it's a whole new beginning."

"Like the first page in a fairytale," Alice breathed, her eyes slipping closed as exhaustion finally overtook her. And although Alice had already fallen asleep, Jim still silently agreed.

"Like a fairytale."

**A/N: Aw, it's the long awaited chapter! They finally kiss! Actually, I don't know if anyone was waiting for that, but whatever, I like it. There were several different ways I thought about how I could portray their first kiss, and finally just settled on this little scene. I hope this chapter was okay, I might have some grammatical mistakes and junk, but I'll go back and fix that up later. **

**As for the ending, I wanted some way to incorporate the meaning of the title and when I described their second kiss, I want all of my readers to know that their first kiss isn't going to be passionate and perfect like on TV these days, it's going to be awkward. Alice has read many fairytales at her boarding school so she kind of compares the kiss to those books and realizes it's not the same, but it's still a wonderful feeling.**

**So yeah, I'm done with all my rambling now.**

**Special thanks to****: DanielleBurkex3, RavenGirl-LightandDarkSides, SmileyBlackCat, and redfox-akatsuki (I agree with you about brothers ha ha). Thanks to all of you guys and girls for putting this story in your favorites, story alerts, reviewing it, or simply giving me great support! I really appreciate it and it helps me put more effort into this story. :) **

**Also, one more thing, don't be afraid to give me constructive criticism if something doesn't make sense or something bothered you when reading it, because I often don't pick up on these things since I'm the one writing it.**


	17. The Agreement

_**Chapter 16**_

_**The Agreement**_

The next morning was tiresome. Jim and Alice were awoken by an excited B.E.N telling them they were nearing the crescent shaped spaceport. When the four of them, including Morph, headed up to the main deck they were greeted by a very irritable Amelia, who hadn't yet gotten over the fact that Silver escaped her clutches.

While Amelia told Delbert how to dock the ship properly, Alice and the others were ordered to continue cleaning up anything that wasn't too heavy.

"Great, we're finally back to Crescentia, and we still have to swab the deck," Jim huffed. Alice laughed, dunking her mop in her bucket.

"Come on, Jim, it would've made Silver proud." Jim smiled, reminiscing on his first job on the ship.

"So long as we don't get into any fights," he shot back.

"Oh, I don't think that's likely."

Once the ship was safely anchored to the spaceport, Amelia called for the authorities to take away the "pirate scum" in her brig while the spaceport robots set to work, lifting and scrubbing the ship down from topsail to hull.

Jim's mother was called upon at once, leaving Jim and Alice to pack up their things and prepare to set foot on land yet again.

"Oh, boy, here they come," Jim muttered as he and Alice sat on the stairs leading up to the helm.

"Who?" Alice asked.

"Cops," he whispered, pointing to the robotic police now rolling up the gangway onto the ship. Their stature was far taller than that of the other skinny robots cleaning up. B.E.N even looked like a toothpick to them. Their metal chests were broad and painted blue with gold buttons down the front and an emblem under their right shoulder. They had white gloves on their hands and small blue hats on their heads, also carrying the law enforcement insignia. Their eyes were small and beady black and their mouths were simply screens that portrayed the sound waves when they spoke.

"They look pretty intimidating," Alice said.

"Grips like iron," Jim agreed as they marched down to the brig and came out, with the pirates in handcuffs or tightly secured.

"Wait! Wait! We didn't mean it! It was Silver! I can point names and name fingers," Moron yelled making Oxy roll his eyes.

"It's point fingers and name names you blundering idiot," he snapped as the cops hauled them and the others off the ship. Jim and Alice watched as Onus even tried grabbing at the wooden railing.

"I eez a good man!" Onus cried. "I don't want to go to preezon!"

As the last of the pirates were hauled away, Alice turned to Jim.

"How do you know what their grips are like?"

"Who the police? Got caught riding my solar surfer in a restricted area, remember?"

"Oh yeah," Alice nodded.

"But that's not going to happen anymore. I told my mom I'd make her proud, and that's what I'm going to do," Jim explained. Morph, who had been resting on Jim's knee, floated up and gave him an affectionate lick. Jim smiled, tickling his new pet as Alice watched him.

"Your mom's lucky to have a son like you, Jim."

"Lucky? Ha!" Jim scoffed. "I don't know about lucky. She had to put up with a juvenile delinquent for six years." Alice wrapped an arm around Jim's back.

"You'll make her proud yet." Jim gave Alice a grateful look as B.E.N waltzed over.

"Hey, hey, Jimmy, Ally, are we going to see your mom?" he asked excitedly.

"We're going to see Jim's mom," Alice elucidated.

"Oh, Jimmy, this is fantastic! I can't wait to see mom!"

"My mom, B.E.N, not yours," Jim chuckled.

"I can't wait to see your mom," B.E.N corrected himself. "What is she like? I haven't seen so many people in one spot for so long, it's wonderful."

"Get used to it, B.E.N, we won't maroon you again," Alice assured the robot who was fascinated by Crescentia's frenzied atmosphere.

"Ally, where's your mom?" B.E.N suddenly asked, pulling away from the rail. Jim watched Alice's glowing expression falter.

"I –" She swallowed hard. "I don't have a mom, B.E.N."

"Why not?" B.E.N asked. Morph squeaked at B.E.N disapprovingly, understanding that Alice didn't like the subject.

"Uh," Alice hesitated, shaking her head. "I don't know. I grew up without parents."

"How horrible," B.E.N gasped before he paused and scratched his head. "Wait, I don't think I have parents either. Flint captured me on one of his raids. The data's a little fuzzy, but I think someone built me." Morph transformed into a miniature Flint sticking fluff in B.E.N's brain as if to emphasize the robot wasn't that bright. Jim smirked and grabbed Morph out of the air before B.E.N noticed.

"We both don't have parents, B.E.N," Alice chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

"Hey, parents, who needs them?" Jim added playfully.

"Yeah, I've got the best friends in the galaxy, I don't need anyone else," Alice grinned.

"Jim! I believe I see your mother," Delbert called as he scanned the crowd off the observation deck. Jim, Alice, Morph, and B.E.N all jumped up and ran to the rail. Jim's eyes searched the crowd before he spotted a young woman in a bonnet and plain white dress making her way through the crowd. She stood out the most because she looked unsure of where she was going and quite uncomfortable around the multitude of people.

"That's my mom," Jim grinned, grabbing his buckle bag while Alice grabbed hers. She tried to keep up with him as he practically sprinted off the ship and into the crowd. Alice and Morph came up behind Jim as he put a gentle hand on his mother's shoulder causing her to turn around in surprise. Alice couldn't stop her own smile as Mrs. Hawkins pulled her son into a tight embrace before any words could be spoken.

Alice could clearly see the resemblances between the two. They both had brown hair, although Jim's was a little darker, and cerulean eyes that matched the Etherium skies. When Mrs. Hawkins pulled back she let out a small breath.

"Jim, you've grown!" she gasped, taking his face in her hands and turning it back and forth. Jim laughed.

"Mom, cut it out. I'd like you to meet some friends of mine," he said as Morph flew forward and nuzzled against Mrs. Hawkins' cheek. She let out a surprised, "Oh!"

"Mom, this is Morph, he's a friend I met on the voyage."

"Hello, Morph," Mrs. Hawkins greeted and tickled Morph who squealed and flew around her head. "You're a cute little fella, aren't you?" she smiled. Jim looked over his shoulder and spotted Alice shuffling her feet and biting her lip.

"And, uh, here's another good friend I met along the way," he spoke up, taking Alice's hand and towing her forward. Alice saw Mrs. Hawkins' curious expression as she surveyed Alice for a moment before smiling. "You must be Alice. Delbert told me all about you before they left that morning," she grinned. Alice immediately felt her anxiety melt away. Mrs. Hawkins had a very soft and easy demeanor.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am," Alice supplied.

"Please, dear, just call me Sarah." Alice smiled and agreed to her terms as she then turned back to Jim. "Well, I'm sure you're all tired from your adventure, and I'd love to hear all about it, but where's Delbert, Jim?"

"He told us to go ahead and leave without him. He's taking our Captain to the hospital."

"Goodness, what happened? Are the Captain's injuries serious?" Sarah asked, unable to hide her concern.

"No, she's just a little unstable. We can go ahead and leave for home and then we'll tell you everything – wait a second," Jim stopped himself. "Where's B.E.N?" he asked Alice. The girl shrugged right as B.E.N came barreling through the crowd.

"Jimmy! Ally! Wait up!" All of them turned around just in time to see B.E.N crash into Jim, sending them both to the ground.

"Oh my goodness!" Sarah laughed as she saw B.E.N sitting on Jim's chest.

"Oops, sorry, Jimmy," B.E.N apologized as he leapt off of Jim and the boy got to his feet, brushing the dirt off his clothes. Jim chose to ignore the incident as he turned to introduce his mother to B.E.N.

"Mom, this is B.E.N, the Bio Electronic Navigator. We rescued him from Treasure Planet."

"Hi, Mrs. H! It's so nice to meet new people, don't you think?" he grinned, taking her hand and shaking it just as obnoxiously as he had done to Jim and Alice on Treasure Planet.

"It is nice to meet new people, B.E.N," Mrs. Hawkins replied, pulling her hand away as fast as possible. Jim chuckled.

"We should get going, mom, we've got loads to tell you."

"Well, are you going to keep me in suspense? Let's go. There's a ferry waiting for us up ahead," Sarah smiled. As they boarded the Montressor Express ferry, Sarah Hawkins kept a watchful eye on her son, surprised that he was smiling so much. Every time she spared a glance toward her only child, she saw him laughing away with his new friends and even holding Alice's hand at their sides. A knowing smile crept across the mother's lips, but she said nothing as they got off the ferry and took Delbert's buggy, pulled by a bullyadous (a stubby amphibian like creature with light brown skin and only two plump legs as limbs to run), back to the Doctor's mansion.

When Alice first laid eyes on the expansive house the Doctor lived in she couldn't help but release a surprised exhale. It was colossal, and unlike the dirt roads and dreary cliffs around the rest of Montressor the mansion had a cobblestoned path leading up to the front with solar lamps leading the way. Alice could even see an astronomy tower on the roof with a large telescope peeking out into the afternoon sky.

"This is the Doctor's house?" Alice asked in disbelief.

"Well he is a well-known astrophysicist," Jim chuckled as they headed up the drive. After leading the bullyadous (which Alice soon learned was named Delilah) back to the stable and putting the buggy safely back in the shed, Mrs. Hawkins led all of them inside.

The interior of the mansion was just as glamorous as the outside. The entrance hall had beautiful wooden floors with an ornate staircase leading up to a second landing. There was a long hallway leading to many other rooms, and as Mrs. Hawkins guided them to the door at the end of the hall Alice could have sworn she spotted a library through one room.

"Here we go," Mrs. Hawkins smiled as she took off her bonnet and showed them into a very decorative sitting room with a beautiful fireplace and portraits on the walls of famous canines, possibly some of Delbert's ancestors. Jim dropped his bag on the carpet and sank gratefully into one of the fireside chairs. Alice and B.E.N followed suit while Morph settled on an armrest. "Are any of you hungry?" Sarah asked, looking around at everyone's tired expressions.

"Nah, we're okay, Mom, you can sit down you know," Jim said. Mrs. Hawkins laughed.

"Jim, for the past five months, I have sat around doing nothing. Of course I had a job at one of the pubs in town, but it definitely was not a full time job like the Benbow. I need to get these dishwasher hands on something," she grinned, ringing out her fingers.

"No, really Mom, we're okay. Besides, I'm sure you're just dying to know what happened along the way." Sarah smiled and took a seat.

"Alright, tell me all about it."

So Jim, with the help of his newly found friends, described their adventure to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. Half way through, Delbert returned, proudly stating that the doctors would have Amelia patched up in no time. When he realized they were describing the voyage he too jumped at the opportunity to tell his tale. He felt a little more enthusiastic about it than Jim or Alice due to this being his first time out of his home instead of buried under piles of research.

Sarah Hawkins listened intently to the tale they wove and gasped or clutched a gold locket around her neck when they described the pirates. It was late afternoon when they finally concluded their story. Jim and Alice helped Sarah throw together some dinner since Delbert couldn't cook for squat while B.E.N took their bags up to the guest bedrooms.

When they had all had their fill and returned to the sitting room, Jim figured now was as good of a time as any to tell his mother about Alice's situation and the bright future that lay ahead of them.

"They're called Warden Papers," Jim explained. "You'll be her temporary guardian when she's not at the Interstellar Academy." Mrs. Hawkins looked at Alice who refused to meet the woman's gaze, too embarrassed that she was asking so much of the poor woman who'd already lost her home.

"It's simple, really," Delbert added, trying to defend Alice's case. The old doctor himself believed Alice to be a very sweet girl. "All you have to do is sign a few papers, and she's under your watchful eye without being related to you and Jim."

Mrs. Hawkins was unsure if she should agree to this, especially since she knew very little about Alice, but the girl had been as pleasant as could be upon their first encounter.

"Jim, may I talk to you in private please?" she asked. Jim nodded and followed her out into the hall. He stood there expectantly. "How well behaved is this girl? I hardly know her."

"Mom, she's a hard worker, trust me on that. She's a hard worker, a good listener, and very nice. She – she helped me a lot on that voyage, Mom. She helped me discover myself, I guess," Jim replied, keeping his voice low. Mrs. Hawkins smiled.

"How much does she mean to _you_, Jim?" Jim spluttered, feeling his cheeks turn pink.

"We're good friends."

"Oh, don't give me that garbage, Jim, I'm your mother. I can see right through you," she chuckled. Jim smiled.

"She's, well, uh, my girlfriend I suppose," he scratched the back of his neck. "She means a lot to me, Mom, and if she could stay with us for the three months leading up to the Interstellar Academy that would mean a lot to her too since she's never had any parents or friends."

Mrs. Hawkins nodded thoughtfully. She could see the change in her son. He held himself up like a man and kept his chin high. His stature was taller, instead of slouching like he used to, and a smile could always be found near the corner of his lips. Alice was special to Jim, and she had helped bring out the confidence in Sarah's son.

"I'll sign the papers," Mrs. Hawkins agreed.

"Really?" Jim laughed in mild astonishment. Sarah nodded, smiling herself. "Thank you, Mom," Jim said, pulling his mother into a hug.

"Let's go break the news," Sarah whispered as she and Jim headed back into the room. Alice looked up nervously, but upon seeing Jim and Mrs. Hawkins' smiles, she relaxed. Sarah stopped in front of Alice who was biting her lip again. "Welcome to the family, Alice," Sarah grinned, opening her arms. Alice's face lit up as she stood and gave Mrs. Hawkins an apprehensive hug.

"Thank you, Mrs. Hawkins, I promise, I'll help you rebuild the Benbow, and I won't let you down," Alice assured her.

"Whoa, rebuilding the Benbow? We don't have enough money to rebuild the –" Mrs. Hawkins' voice died as Jim pulled out the gold Silver had given him and set it on the end table in front of her.

"Managed to scrape a bit before the planet exploded," he announced proudly. To say Mrs. Hawkins was astounded would be an understatement.

"These are real rubies and sapphires?" she gasped, timidly reaching out to grab one as if she was afraid they might disappear.

"Definitely enough to rebuild the Benbow ten times over," Jim assured her.

"Jim!" Mrs. Hawkins laughed, taking her son back in her arms and hugging him for maybe the fifth time that day.

"I said I'd make you proud," Jim replied as he pulled out of the hug.

"I never doubted you for a second."

The remainder of the evening was spent in high spirits as Alice continued to thank Mrs. Hawkins for her generosity and all of them made plans to visit Alice's boarding school at the end of the week and begin constructing the new inn as soon as possible.

As Jim and Alice climbed the stairs that night to the guest bedrooms on the second floor, both of them couldn't help but think about how everything had turned out just the way they had hoped.

"Thanks again, Jim, for being there for me," Alice said as she and Jim headed down the hall to their rooms.

"Ah, it was the least I could do for a good friend," he shrugged. Alice bit her lip to contain her growing smile. Instead she leaned up and pecked Jim's cheek just like she had done on the Legacy and issued him goodnight before heading into her bedroom and closing the door behind her. Jim stood in the hallway for a while, thinking over the events of the day.

At last he came to the joyous conclusion that he was a man now, and he'd keep his eyes on the stars no matter the cost. This was only the first chapter unfolding the tale of his electrifying future, and Jim was ready to take part.

**A/N: Ah! I finally got this out! Sorry about the wait, I get back to school after break and my teachers just came down on me hardcore so now I'm swimming in homework assignments.**

**Before I start thanking everyone for the wonderful support I'd like to have all of your attention, or draw your attention to some things. **

**First is this wonderful Treasure Planet story on DeviantArt. It is truly magical and has me very interested. The name of the author is **_**PrincessEmber1111**_**, so please look her up on that website and check out her treasure planet fanfiction! It is amazing! (Her art is pretty dang good too!)**

**Second is I think everyone should check out **_**PartofYourWorld-ArielMermaid's**_**fanfiction as well if they haven't done so because she's been incredibly supportive to me and I would just like to officially thank you (PartofYourWorld) for advertising my story on your profile! :D And for that I want to draw people to your story as well! **

**Phew, now that that's off my chest, sorry if there's grammar mistakes and once again constructive criticism is welcomed! **

**Special thanks to all my readers!: SmileyBlackCat, bandgeek14, redfox-akatsuki, and 1 Sky 1 Destiny 1 Videogame**

**You guys mean the world to me! :D Enjoy!**


	18. Warden Papers

_**Chapter 17**_

_**Warden Papers**_

The end of the week came quick for Alice and the others. The young girl could not contain her joy as she pranced around Delbert's house, exploring his library, and helping Jim, Mrs. Hawkins, and some construction workers design a blueprint for the new inn. They visited Amelia in the hospital and were glad to find out she was greatly recovering.

The only downside to their exultant week was the press. Ever since word got out about the crew of the Legacy returning from Treasure Planet successfully, newspapers, photographers, and columnists alike strived to record the story of the brave heroes who conquered the pirates on their adventure to the Loot of A Thousand Worlds.

One afternoon Jim was heading into town to buy more groceries since their food supply had significantly reduced over the past few days. As he set foot in the bustling market place he saw people staring at him out of the corner of his eye. Some stopped mid conversation to watch him go, others whispered and pointed, and still others boldly stepped in front of him asking for an autograph.

Jim had never felt so claustrophobic in his life. The citizens of Montressor used to avoid him, now they treated him like a hero. Jim wasn't sure if he liked all the new attention or hated it. People were certainly looking at him in a different light, just as he had told Silver and Alice back on the Legacy.

Once Jim finally managed to gather the list of food and start heading home, he was jumped again by a short, stubby little man, with flaming orange hair and a rather large nose.

"James Pleiades Hawkins! Pleasure to meet you, my boy," the man exclaimed. Jim gazed down at him over the brown grocery bags he held.

"Er –"

"Of course, how silly of me not to introduce myself! I'm Maximillian White, I work for the Montressor Tribune, how do you do?"

"Well, I –"

"Wonderful, I'm feeling pretty jolly myself, Mr. Hawkins," White interrupted. Jim looked down at the man in annoyance, but White didn't seem to notice or care. "You know, Mr. Hawkins, I was a young spacer myself once, but then of course I used up my time and became a writer instead. It was always my true calling."

Jim's arms were beginning to ache from holding the bags so long.

"You're a good lad, Jim, and I have no doubt you'll rise to a captain's rank one day."

"Thank you," Jim grunted, shifting the bags around in his arms.

"But of course rumors have been spreading like wildfire, some good, some, well, not so good. I thought I'd generously offer you the chance to set these rumors straight by telling an old writer in need of a juicy story your tale," White proposed, looking at Jim with an eager expression.

The teenager let out a puff of breath.

"Listen, er, Mr. White, I'm sorry to disappoint anyone, but we didn't even manage to secure the treasure, and I should be heading back because my mom needs help –"

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no, Jim m'boy! I don't think you understood what I meant," White chuckled, putting a small hand on Jim's back and leading him forward. "I'm not like those other buffoons who only want to know what happened to the money. I believe without a doubt you're telling the truth, and I want you to know that I'm here for you as a good friend. If you feel the need to vent about the trip, about your new relationship with a Miss Alice –"

"How do you know about that?" Jim interrupted now glaring down at White. The small man cleared his throat and continued as if he hadn't heard Jim.

"Or even about the publicity you're receiving, I'm here for you. As a boy who grew up on Montressor, don't you think your fellow friends deserve to know your story?" he asked. Jim stopped walking and shrugged the man's hand off his back.

"Mr. White, I've already recapped the story to several other newspaper firms and I think they got it down on paper just fine. I'm really not in the mood to have another columnist begging me for a storyline." With those final words Jim turned and headed back to Doppler's house.

Maximillian White, however, would not give up that easily.

"I know a lot about you, James Hawkins!" he called, trailing after Jim who chose to ignore him. "I know all about your new relationship with a Miss Alice, and I know all about your – poverty!" he called again, scrambling for something to garner Jim's attention, but when the boy didn't turn around White shouted, "I also know all about your girlfriend's past, boy!"

Jim froze as White used his stubby legs to catch up.

"Yes, I know all about that, m'boy. I can easily pour poison in the water main as they would say," he panted slyly. A scowl appeared on Jim's face as he whirled around and glowered at White.

"Are you threatening me, Sir?" he asked in a sinister voice. White looked a little timorous, but regained his composure and stuck his nose in the air.

"I am, you could say, threatening Miss Alice. I know she's an orphan, oh yes. I know how she has no parents, and I could easily make her personality out to be none other than an ungrateful street rat – Yikes!" White gasped as Jim set down the groceries and grabbed the man by his shirt collar, lifting him up into the air.

"If you spill one false word about her to the press, I will toss you into the Calyan Abyss myself," Jim snarled.

"Oh, feisty little man aren't yeh?" White laughed.

"I wouldn't be the one calling someone else little, shorty," Jim sneered.

"Jim, Jim, Jim," White sighed, seeming oddly calm about the situation he was in. "I could be your friend, you know. All you need to do is retell your story. You really don't want to make me your enemy."

"And you really don't want to make me hurt you," Jim snapped, tightening his hold.

"Some boyfriend you are. I'm sure Alice would be happy to know her new relationship was based on lies. After all, you'd rather watch her take the fall then tell a little story." Jim clenched his fist and pulled back when White held up a hand. "Uh-uh-uh, Mr. Hawkins, violence is unacceptable in society, and I can safely promise that your mother's newly built inn will be sued and mine for the taking the minute the public finds out her 'star employee' assaulted a customer," White smirked.

Jim dropped him wrathfully as White picked himself up and dusted himself off.

"You're sick," Jim growled. White released a crazy giggle.

"Sick, but strategic, you must admit. Now, when you feel the need to relay all the details of your story, here's my card, and I bid you good day, Mr. Hawkins," White said as he pressed a card into Jim's hand and hurried away. Jim glanced down at the card that held White's full name and mailing address.

He stuffed it in his pocket, his eyebrows knitted together and his lips turned down as he headed back to Doppler's house with the groceries. When he arrived, he stormed into the kitchen ignoring Alice who noticed his mood and kept asking what was wrong. Jim began pulling the fresh food out of the bags and setting it on the counter.

"Jim, come on, what's up?" Alice asked, helping him pull the food out. Jim drew the card out of his pocket and slapped it on the counter in front of her. Alice picked it up and studied it. "More reporters?" she asked, setting the card down.

"If I don't give him the full story he's going to taint your name in the papers, Alice," Jim grumbled. "And I was going to beat him up, but then he said if I touched him he'd sue my mom's inn when it was rebuilt by complaining that I assaulted a customer."

Alice looked at Jim in amusement, a small twinkle in her eye.

"Jim, I don't care if he taints my name, I'm used to people looking at me oddly. Besides, we'll be off to the Interstellar in three months anyway. He only writes for the Montressor Tribune, not the Galactic Press."

"I still don't like it," Jim huffed.

"I don't either, but we should put it out of our minds. Your mom was looking for you. Remember, we're going to visit Amelia in the hospital and then it's off to my boarding school." Jim cracked a small smile.

"Your right, I hope your principal is lenient when it comes to letting his students go."

"Oh, I don't think he cared for me that much anyway," Alice joked making Jim laugh. B.E.N and Morph were told to stay behind to guard the house from anymore columnists, but secretly they were afraid the two of them would be too much of a hassle for such a serious meeting.

"Well, I sure hope Amelia is feeling better," Mrs. Hawkins said as she, Delbert, Jim, and Alice crammed into the buggy and set off toward the hospital.

"She's recovering very well," Delbert assured them. "She never loses her charm," he chuckled. Jim saw the pink flare up on Delbert's cheeks.

"Not that it's any of my business, Doc, but do you have feelings for the Captain?" Jim asked. Delbert nearly lost control of the buggy.

"That's a felicitous, I mean, ridiculous question, Jim. Obviously an unbalanced astrophysicist such as myself couldn't possibly fall in labov – er love, because Labov was my professor in highschool and –"

"Doc, you like her," Jim snickered at Delbert's helpless rambling. The poor doctor sighed.

"Yes, Jim, I do."

"But Delbert this is wonderful!" Sarah smiled, patting her friend's arm. "You must confess your feelings."

"No offense, Sarah, but are you mad? Confess my feelings to Amelia? No, no, no. I'm afraid this situation is far more delicate than that."

"Why?" Alice asked.

"Because, she – she's so very brave and I'm so very not," Delbert muttered dejectedly.

"Delbert, if there's one thing I know about women it's that they are just as scared around love as men are. She may be an outstanding naval Captain with the scars to prove it, but has she ever let anyone inside her heart?" Sarah asked.

"No, she has not. Except for me. She opened up to me on the Legacy after the unfortunate incident with her first mate."

"Doc, you need to make the move," Jim urged him. "Stars, I took a chance with Alice and look where we are!"

"I know, Jim. I know. I'm just not sure how."

"Doc, you just need to tell her," Alice said.

"Fine, fine. I'll tell her, just don't expect any decent results," Delbert acquiesced as he pulled up to the hospital and secured Delilah to a post. As they entered the sterile atmosphere of the clinic, a nurse recognized them and led them down a hall to the room 213. All of them entered the room to see Amelia lying on the bed. Her arm and chest were wrapped up in a cast due to some fractured bones. A small monitor next to her bed displayed her steady heartbeat.

When all of them entered the room, Amelia looked up.

"I was wondering when the four of you would come visit me," she smiled.

"We just stopped in to check up on you before we head to Hora to sign some papers," Mrs. Hawkins explained.

"Ah, yes, the Warden Papers. Are you sure you're alright with this, Sarah? I asked Jim to be absolutely certain it was alright with you."

"We talked it over, and I can safely say I could not have asked for a better girl to look after," Sarah announced, placing a comforting hand on Alice's back.

"Thanks again," Alice spoke up.

"Alice, please stop thanking me," Sarah laughed. Alice felt her cheeks warm in slight embarrassment. There was a moment of uncomfortable silence before Jim spoke up.

"So, uh, Captain, when do the doctors say you'll be released?"

"Tosh, Mr. Hawkins, no need for formalities here. Ms. Smollet is perfectly alright," Amelia waved him away.

"Ms. Smollet," Jim corrected himself, finding it odd to be addressing her so. He and Alice hadn't yet learned Amelia's last name.

"They say I should be out soon. I had a bit of internal bleeding, but nothing serious. I also had to receive stitches and my ribs and arm need to heal of course," she explained.

"Ouch," Jim said.

"'Ouch' indeed, Jim, but nothing to fret over. I received more scars from the Procyon Armada, who are as silent as the grave now after that nasty business. The pirates are imprisoned then, are they?"

"Yes," Delbert finally squeaked out before he cleared his throat. "Yes, they're locked away for a lifetime."

"At least some good came out of this adventure, although if I had had my way with them that Meltdown would be hanging by his tail in the brig while I used him for target practice," the feline grumbled. Meltdown had been the gunner on the ship and had very accurate aim which is why Amelia inferred he had been the one to shoot them out of the sky on Treasure Planet.

They spent a while longer in the hospital room, exchanging casual conversation until Jim and Alice were ushered out of the room by Sarah who was trying to give Delbert and Amelia some privacy. As the three of them were preparing the buggy to head toward the ferry stop, Delbert exited the hospital building looking quite flustered but happier than he had before he entered.

"Well?" Sarah smiled as Jim took the reins since Delbert seemed far too love drunk to drive.

"Sarah, my old friend, I can safely assure you I am the happiest of doctors." He said no more on the subject, although from the canine's body language, Jim and Alice knew his feelings for Amelia were mutual.

The four of them boarded the Hora Express and took off toward Alice's home planet shaded a mysterious pink as if to emphasize the uptight society. When the ferry landed successfully, Alice led the way back to her boarding school. The girl had been impatient about this day all week, but now that she was here she felt something could easily go wrong. What if Mrs. Hawkins changed her mind? What if Mr. Haney didn't let her go? What if the iron gate locked her inside forever?

"This is it," Alice said as they stopped in front of the school.

"It looks like a prison," Jim observed, gazing at the sleek grey walls and locked entrance. Some students were milling about on the lawns as Alice walked up to the gate and pressed a green button near the lock. A buzzing sound was released as the four of them waited until the door to the school opened and out walked Mr. Lewis. He strutted across the lawn, swinging a pair of keys around his stubby finger.

"How can I help you –?" The question died in his throat when he stopped in front of the gate and saw Alice standing there with her friends behind her.

"Alice?" Mr. Lewis asked, looking surprised.

"Hi," she greeted shakily. "I was wondering if I could have a private talk with Mr. Haney." Mr. Lewis examined the people behind her.

"Mr. Haney's busy right now, but you can come in and we'll get you situated back in your dormitory, and then you can tell me all about that adventure of yours," he grinned, unlocking the door.

"No, that's exactly why we came to talk to him."

"About your adventure?"

"About changing schools." Alice let this sink in as Mr. Lewis nodded thoughtfully.

"I suppose he's not too busy," he smiled, pulling the gate open and letting the four of them in. "It's nice to see you again, Alice," Mr. Lewis smiled, patting her back before motioning to her and the others. "Follow me, if you please."

Jim stuffed his hands in his pockets as he watched the other kids giving them curious looks. Alice said she was used to people looking at her oddly, and Jim wondered how she'd managed to stand it all those years. Once inside the school, Mr. Lewis led them up a few flights of stairs and down hallways until they reached the familiar door with the gold plaque that read, "Principal".

Mr. Lewis knocked until a dull voice bid them entrance.

"Mr. Haney, Alice is back, and she wanted to speak with you," Mr. Lewis said as he led the four of them inside before ducking out and closing the door behind him. Mr. Haney straightened his tie and looked up. Alice saw the shock flit across his expression when he saw Delbert who seemed quite smug at the moment.

"Doppler," Haney greeted icily.

"Haney," Delbert replied.

"Well isn't this a wonderful surprise?" Haney sneered. "Did you feel so distraught about your failed expedition you decided to escort little Alice to create more meaning in your miserable life?"

"Actually, failed is not the word I'd use," Delbert retorted as he pulled one of the rubies Silver had given Jim out of his breast pocket. Alice, Jim, and Sarah all watched the two interact. Doppler dangled the ruby in front of Haney's face. "There are far more where that came from," he chuckled, handing the ruby to Mrs. Hawkins who quickly put it away.

"I admit, I'm impressed you managed to discover the legend," Haney growled, looking at Delbert with loathing.

"Patrick, can we not put the past behind us?" Delbert asked in exasperation.

"The past, Delbert? The past? More like the ever persistent future! I still have to watch as you grace the world with your impertinent talents while I run a school full of egotistical children," he snapped.

"Patrick, I cannot help what happened to you in high school, and I admit your school is quite agreeable," Delbert said tentatively, afraid Mr. Haney might explode again.

"Yes you couldn't help. Always the same excuse. Besides, if you're trying to butter me up by showering my school with compliments you have succeeded in failing at that at least," Haney grumbled. Jim and Alice shared a look, both had no idea there was such animosity crackling between the doctor and Mr. Haney.

"I most certainly am not attempting to butter you up. You know I dislike acting as if I'm better than you. You want the truth? Here it is, the treasure was destroyed. The trove was booby trapped. Jim, here, was the only one that scraped up a handful of the treasure, and it is now being used to rebuild his mother's inn that had been burned down before the voyage," Delbert explained.

Mr. Haney eyed Delbert suspiciously before he turned and looked at Jim.

"You're a good lad," he said as Jim blinked, unsure of how to respond. Mrs. Hawkins chuckled, placing a hand on her son's shoulder. "Now, you may leave if that is all you came for."

"Actually, it's not," Delbert cleared his throat. "Alice, here, is going to be recommended to the Interstellar Academy by Captain Smollet herself. Since the start of term does not begin until September first, she must remain at the boarding school for three months prior."

"That is true," Haney nodded however much his expression suggested he didn't want to admit it.

"However, Sarah Hawkins, here, has so generously offered to sign a Warden Paper so Alice is under her guidance away from the Interstellar," Delbert elaborated. "All we need is your permission and signature confirming this." Mr. Haney was silent for a moment.

"She'll be living on Montressor?" he asked, glaring up at Delbert as if just conversing with the man was a chore.

"Yes," Delbert nodded. Mr. Haney scowled as he shook his head and turned to face Alice.

"Is this what you want, Alice?"

"With all my heart, Sir," she replied, trying to keep said heart from beating out of her chest.

"Very well, so long as she is taken care of," Haney grunted, pulling out a document from his desk and signing it before passing it to Alice and Mrs. Hawkins. "Sign here if you please, ma'am, and Alice you may sign here once she's done." As Sarah bent over the desk to sign the paper Alice shook her head.

"That's it?" she demanded. Everyone looked at her. "That's all you do? Sign a paper and nothing more? I don't have to fill out a stack of paperwork, nor go through any, I don't know, special training?" Mr. Haney laughed.

"No, my dear, a Warden Paper is far less serious than an adoption which you must have in mind." Alice took the pen in her shaking hand once Mrs. Hawkins handed it to her.

"I just have to write my name and it will be over?"

"Yes, Alice," Sarah said. Alice shrugged, leaning down and scribbling her name on the last line. Once she had handed the paper and pen back to her principal she stepped back and looked at Jim who was still standing there, just as amazed as she was. Mr. Haney stuffed the paper in an envelope before pulling out a box of matches, a candle, a stick of wax, and the school's seal. Alice watched as he let the melted wax drip onto the envelope before pressing his seal down and holding it for ten seconds. He then removed it and turned the letter over to write the mailing address.

"Excellent, I will have this delivered to the Intergalactic Court immediately. Congratulations, Alice, you are now under Mrs. Hawkins' supervision." Alice looked up at Mrs. Hawkins who grinned.

"Thank you so much, all of you," she said, looking around at all of her friends.

"Like I said Alice, welcome to the family," Sarah chuckled. Alice smiled as she said her final goodbyes to Mr. Haney. She shook her principal's hand, and although she had never felt attached to the school there was something almost overwhelming about leaving the place for good.

"Good luck on entering your new school, Alice. As peculiar as your deposit on our doorstep was those many years ago, I can assure you I have not regretted it," Haney sighed.

"Thank you, Sir," Alice replied as they turned to go. Mr. Haney bid them all good luck except for Delbert who gave a small wave as they left the room and Mr. Lewis escorted them back to the front gate. Before Alice left she gave Mr. Lewis the quickest little run down of what happened on their journey to Treasure Planet and told him if he wanted more he could always order a newspaper from the Galactic Press.

"Well you take care of yourself, Alice. It's going to be different around here without you," he smiled.

"I think it'll be alright," Alice replied.

"The library just won't be the same without you in it. Promise me you'll find new books to read on Montressor."

"I promise," Alice laughed as Mr. Lewis patted her on the back again.

"Alright, alright, get on with you. We can't have you holding up your friends." Alice smiled as she turned and headed out the gate, meeting the others on the street who were patiently waiting for her to say her goodbyes. The four of them then set off up the street, Jim and Alice taking up the rear.

"I just remembered something," Alice spoke up as she and the others boarded the ferry returning home.

"What?" Jim asked.

"My birthday's next week. June 12th."

"You'll be turning sixteen?"

"I guess," Alice laughed.

"My birthday's August 10th," Jim replied. "So that means you're older than me!"

"Oh, don't get your pants in a knot. I'm only older by two months," Alice giggled. Jim scoffed.

"Older, and wiser."

"Wiser? I doubt that."

"Yeah me too."

"Hey!" Alice laughed causing Jim to join in.

"Well, since it is your sweet sixteen, it's supposed to be special, right?"

"I guess," Alice shrugged.

"I think I know exactly what to give _you_."

**A/N: Oh I had so much fun writing about Maximilian White! The name I made up a while back and decided to use it here in this story. He was a short lil' fella just so you all know. **

**I've also been having some problems with fan fiction. It says none of my documents are compatible when they should be since I read the instructions! So I've been doing a copy and paste method. Is anyone else having this problem where it won't let them upload things? Please let me know because if I can't upload you guys don't get the next chapter! :o**

**Onward...**

**Just to clarify some date issues in case they're not clear: They started their voyage sometime in the beginning of February. That gives them about four months, since they returned June 1st. Alice's birthday is June 12th. Jim's birthday is August 10th (you find that out in the next few chapters), and the start of term for the Interstellar Academy is September 1st. I hope that clarifies things. I had to mull over the time period a lot to get it just the way I wanted it.**

**Oh man, drama is coming up in the next chapter! Not a lot, just a bit but I think enough to satisfy and trust me: in the second book there will be plenty of drama! :D **

**You should all really check out PrincessEmber1111's story on DeviantArt if you haven't already! As well as PartofYourWorld-ArielMermaid's story since she's editing it up too!**

**Anyway! Enough rambling!**

**Special thanks goes to: April Marciano (for favoriting all those other stories as well!), Jinxfrost14, PartofYourWorld-ArielMermaid, redfox-akatsuki, xPoppyx, and Jess036! **

**I don't think I'll ever be able to tell all of you how much your reviews and favorites and other things mean to me so….**

**VIRTUAL COOKIES FOR EVERYONE! :D**


	19. Learn to Dance

_**Chapter 18**_

_**Learn to Dance**_

"Flying?" Alice gulped as Jim circled around her on his solar surfer. The remainder of the burned inn was currently being swept away from the scene to make room for the new and improved Benbow Inn. Alice had awoken that morning on her birthday to the most delightful sight. There was a frosted cake with sixteen candles she was told to blow out and make a wish along with ice cream and even presents!

Alice had never felt the pure exhilaration of opening a present. Jim and the others watched in amusement as she tore off the wrapping paper to see a brand new stuffed bear and some model ships to work on. Ever since she had told Jim she'd never had a toy to play with, it had been his goal to get her something that would bring out the inner child.

Alice refused to let go of her bear, and carried it around everywhere now like she was reunited with a lost friend. Jim had to tell her to leave it behind when he took her to the police station to retrieve his solar surfer that the police had impounded before he left for his journey to Treasure Planet. It had a few dents from the robo cops tossing it around, but it was still in good shape.

"Man, have I missed this thing," Jim sighed, testing the sail and grip that pulsed with solar light.

"Jim, you were amazing on Treasure Planet, but I just don't think I can do this," Alice sighed. Jim powered down the board and stepped off.

"We won't go too high, okay? Come on, Alice, it's a lot of fun! You had fun in the longboat back with Silver didn't you?"

"Didn't you? Didn't you?" Morph mimicked, coming out of Alice's pocket.

"Yes but –"

"Then you'll have a lot of fun on this thing," Jim grinned, holding out his hand to her. Morph watched eagerly as Alice slipped her shaking hand into Jim's. "Okay, set both feet on the board," he explained. Alice did as she was told and gripped the handle attached to the sail. The sail itself was shaped like a large orange fin with Arcturian solar crystals embedded in cloth that looked crudely stitched together. The board was just a very thick plank of wood one foot wide to stand on. Two very tiny thrusters were attached to the back along with two buttons, one to start the engines, and the other to lower and raise the sail. The sail was connected to the board by a ball and socket type contraption allowing Jim to turn the sail with the handle linked to the skeleton just like he could move his arm.

Just beyond the ball and socket mechanism was a built in pointed tip to the board to allow less wind resistance and obtain maximum speed. This rounded piece was painted with red triangular stripes, but Alice could see much of the paint was chipping away from years of use.

"Did you build this?" she asked Jim as he set his feet next to hers, slipping one foot in a single foot strap Alice had failed to notice earlier. Jim positioned the rest of himself on the board so she was pressed between his chest and the sail.

"Yeah," he answered, setting his hands over hers. "Nothing special."

"That's amazing! How long did it take you?" she inquired.

"A week or two," he shrugged. "Of course, that's only if I have easy access to the right parts."

"That's still really cool," Alice said.

"Thanks," Jim smiled. "So, uh, I'm going to let off the break a bit now, okay?"

"Okay," Alice replied shakily as Jim eased his foot over one button in back and the surfer began to move forward. Alice said nothing as it began to pick up speed and eventually altitude. "Jim," Alice whimpered.

"Relax," he ordered, pressing his cheek against her temple. He felt her melt against him, comforted by his close proximity. Despite their increasing elevation, Alice felt remarkably okay. Maybe it was Jim's closeness or his boyish smell, but she felt a little more at ease.

However, her good feeling was replaced with panic when she realized how high they had truly gotten. They were nearing the top of one of the cliffs when Alice screamed and pushed back into Jim's chest causing him to nearly lose control of the board.

"Whoa! Alice, hey! Hey, careful," he called as Alice tensed up, her body frozen.

"Get me down! Get me down! Please! Please bring the board down. I can't do this. I can't do this," she gasped, shaking her head as tears welled in her eyes.

"Alice, you can do this. Trust –"

"This isn't a game of trust Jim! Bring the board down now," she shouted over him. Jim said nothing as he obeyed and lowered the board until they reached the ground. He then powered it down and helped her off of it. Alice stood with her back turned to him, trying to stop her violent shaking. Jim watched as at last she turned around. "I'm sorry," she rasped. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," Jim assured her, but didn't say anything else. He was rather shocked Alice who was so timid and quiet had blown up at him like that.

"I –" she began before she stopped and started to pace. "I – I'm just not good at flying. It always feels so amazing and then I realize how high we are and I just – I just break, Jim. I can't do it. And you always seem so unafraid of everything, so calm and in control that I just…" she trailed off and wiped the tears from her eyes furiously.

Jim retracted the sail on his board and laid it gently on the ground.

"I'm claustrophobic," he announced. Alice stopped pacing and looked at him.

"What?"

"I'm claustrophobic. I can't stand small spaces. I think it's a mental thing, and that's why I never went into the mines. I'm terrified they're going to collapse or are going to shrink until I'm squeezed to death. I just – I discovered the fear after my dad left, because my whole world just seemed to be squeezing and burying me under layers of dirt and rock," Jim finished, his voice trailing off. Alice stared at him in silent admiration as Jim gazed in embarrassment at the ground. "I never told anyone," he added quietly. "I guess I just didn't want people to see me as weak."

"You're not weak," Alice whispered, taking a step closer. Jim looked up just in time for her to wrap him in a tight hug. Jim was taken aback at first, but wrapped his arms around her in return as Morph also joined in their little embrace. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" she asked, pulling back. Jim shrugged.

"It didn't seem important."

"All this time I thought you were this really brave guy, because you are, but I felt –" Alice stopped. Jim looked at her.

"You felt what?"

"I felt _overshadowed_."

"Huh?"

"You just seemed so great at everything, Jim, and I felt really bad because I was so afraid of heights and it always seemed to get in the way on our voyage to Treasure Planet. I can't even solar surf with you, because I'm just too scared."

"I'm afraid of a lot of things too," Jim argued.

"Like what besides claustrophobia?"

"You."

"Me?" Alice gasped, looking startled. Jim laughed.

"Not you as a person. Do you know I spent half the voyage to Treasure Planet thinking about you?"

"No," Alice admitted, her lips curving into a smile.

"Well, I did. And let me tell you something, Alice, kissing you was probably the scariest thing I've ever done in my life," he gave a breathless laugh. Alice grinned as Morph settled on her shoulder.

"It caught me off guard, that's for sure."

"We have all the time in the world to practice," Jim smirked, stepping closer.

"That's right, we do," Alice played along. Morph turned into a batch of hearts as the two leaned in to share another playful kiss. Right before their lips brushed, Jim suddenly pulled away.

"Oh! I forgot, I got you something else for your birthday," he exclaimed as Alice watched him pull a necklace out of his pocket.

"Jim, you and the others already got me so much," Alice gasped, seeing the necklace as he shyly handed it to her.

"Consider this my official present," he shrugged. The girl took it and ran her thumb over the stone on the end. If turned in the right lighting the piece of obsidian seemed to reflect an image of a very bright star. "It looks so mysterious. I love it," she grinned. Jim relaxed.

"Yeah I actually bought it in the marketplace. The guy sold it to me pretty cheap. He looked ready to get rid of it," Jim said as Alice played with the necklace. When she turned the stone over a very tiny indent could be found. Alice stared at the indent curiously. It looked like it was shaped for something. It was a perfectly round indent and seemed to have a certain amount of depth to it.

She shrugged it off however and turned back to Jim.

"So the guy sold it to you cheap?"

"Yeah." Jim stepped forward and helped Alice put on the necklace. "He said, and I quote, 'hey laddie, you look like an adventurer'. So I told him I was looking for a good present for my girlfriend's very first birthday party. I'm surprised he didn't recognize me, what with all the stories about us floating around. He then made me pay only two drubloons! It makes me wonder if this thing is cursed or something," he laughed.

"Let's hope it's not cursed," Alice chuckled as Morph admired the shiny stone. Alice hurriedly stuffed it under her shirt. He had a knack for shiny things that little blob. That's how they had lost the map on Treasure Planet.

"We should probably be heading back," Jim announced, picking up his surfer as Morph zipped around their heads.

"Heading back! Heading back!" he squealed. Alice nodded.

"No flying?"

"No flying," Jim agreed as he took her hand and they walked back to Delbert's house.

* * *

The weeks flew by quick. Ever since plans had started on the new inn, Alice and Jim had been busy helping haul wood or other tools around. Amelia and Delbert's relationship continued to progress while Mrs. Hawkins and B.E.N picked out nice colors and furniture once the rooms had been built.

Jim was often seen hammering away up on the roof while Alice scurried around with a bucket of nails. Mrs. Hawkins was proud to see how much effort Alice and Jim were putting into the new inn despite the town architects and construction workers on the job as well.

As Montressor headed into the summer months the heat increased, but Jim and Alice never complained once as they worked in rain or shine.

One early morning Mrs. Hawkins finally caught her son sneaking down the stairs at Delbert's house, attempting to pull on his boots and work on the Benbow before the others woke up.

"Jim," Sarah called as she leaned against a door frame staring at her son who spun around.

"Oh, hey, Mom," he returned a nervous chuckle. She shot him a knowing look.

"Jim, honey, you do realize that it's five in the morning." Jim shrugged. "I know you think I'll be far prouder if you put in so much effort to rebuild the inn, but I want you to know something."

Jim watched his mother walk over and tilt his chin up with her thumb and forefinger.

"You don't need to gain my pride, Jim. I've always been proud of you."

"But all those times I got the throwing-away-your-future speech, or all the times I was caught by the cops, or all the times I accidently broke a dish when helping you in the kitchen or –"

"Yes!" Mrs. Hawkins laughed, interrupting him. "I was proud of you then too. I'm not saying it was a picnic, trying to set you on the right path, but I never stopped loving you. Not for a second." She took his hands. "I want you to remember that, dear. I will always be proud of you, and I will love you wherever you go, whatever you do, because you're my son, and I am happy to be your mother," she concluded.

She saw Jim's jaw clench as he tried to look away. She knew he was trying not to cry.

"I uh –" He stopped and cleared his throat. "I just thought you were at wit's end, you know? I thought sooner or later you'd just stop trying."

Sarah felt her own tears welling up in her eyes as she pulled him into a tight embrace. Jim hugged her back as both of them tried to blink back the raw emotion. It had been difficult ever since Daniel Hawkins left that fateful day, but Sarah had put aside all her sadness, all the pain of him leaving her just to be there for her son.

"I'm glad you're back, Jim. You could never let me down," she breathed before pulling away. "Now, you should go right back up those stairs and get better rest, young man. I have a special job for you and Alice later that I'm sure she's going to love."

* * *

"Jim, just look at all these flowers!" Alice gasped, as she and Jim stood in the midst of the busy marketplace. Jim had his hands in his pockets as he stared in boredom at all of the sweet scented flowers surrounding him. He would much rather be working on his solar surfer, but his mother instructed him to take Alice into the market place to pick out some flowers she thought would be best for the Benbow's new garden.

"Oh, look at this beauty!" Alice gasped, fawning over the blue flowers. The lady selling the plants smiled at Alice's enthusiasm.

"Is thar' anything I can get for yeh two?" she asked in a thick accent.

"I don't know, what do you think would go good in a garden?" Alice turned to Jim. Before the boy could respond the lady interrupted Alice with a rough laugh.

"Tha' boy ain't got two pints worth o' floral knowledge, dear," she chuckled. Jim looked annoyed she could read him so well and kept his mouth shut when Alice's hand (refusing to leave his) pulled him forward.

"No, Jim likes flowers, otherwise he wouldn't be here. Don't you, Jim?" she asked, turning to him with wide green eyes. Jim couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped. Alice seemed so ignorant of the outside world. Everything she saw in the marketplace intrigued her. She had never been in a busy town before.

"Well, what's your favorite color?" he asked instead.

"Blue."

"Mine's green, but I don't think there are green flowers, and my mom likes purple, so…" he trailed off and stared at the array of flowers before finding one with a mix of the two. "This'll do," he told the woman behind the small stand's counter.

"I guess 'e does 'ave a pinch o' smarts afta' all," she grunted. "Tha'll be six drubloons, Jimsey."

"It's Jim," Jim retorted as he pulled out the desired amount.

"Jimminey," she smirked. Jim rolled his eyes knowing she was just trying to tease him. Alice laughed as she took the potted flower.

"But, Jim, what if we want different colors? A garden ought to have more colors."

"We'll start with this flower and buy more when we –"

"Look!" Alice gasped, interrupting him as she dragged him and the potted plant down the street toward a tall man selling jewelry. "Oh wow," she laughed, nearly jumping up and down in delight. "They're so shiny and – oh! Look at that crazy fruit!"

It was like that the rest of the day. Jim was dragged into and out of stores to look at every item the town possessed. He had been up and down the streets so many times in his past he had never bothered to stop and experience the life around him. With Alice, however, Jim gained a whole new perspective.

Their final stop was a dress store with a large open window and manikins to model the new lace, parasols, or corsets. Alice had always been fitted to hand-me-down pants and shirts. Her boots were old and worn and so was much of her clothing that seemed to hang off of her in odd ways. Jim watched her press her face to the glass and stare intently at the dresses.

"Pants and shirts are fine to run in, but a dress…I've never worn a dress before," she told Jim as he watched her, his head cocked to the side in curiosity.

"Never?" he asked.

"Never," Alice nodded, shrugging her shoulders. "But I can imagine they'd be difficult to run in, and look at all that lace," she gagged. Jim laughed, staring at the dress Alice was pointing to.

"Just imagine wearing a corset," he shivered. "I don't know how some of those proper ladies do it."

"I don't understand how women do it at all. All those strings, and I always read stories about women who'd faint because they were so tight around their chest."

"Alice, you never have to wear one of those if you don't want to," he assured her. Alice smiled when something caught her attention.

"What's that noise?"

"What noise?" Jim asked as she shushed him. Bit by bit the couple could hear a song building.

"It sounds…beautiful," Alice whispered, seeming entranced by the music as she and Jim headed back up the street to where a small crowd was gathering.

"Street performers," Jim smiled, nodding to the strange men playing their instruments and dancing about in their peculiar costumes. Every so often the town would be awarded with some newcomers earning money in the most creative way possible. This time it was a street dance. A man with a multicolored jumpsuit and jingling hat played his flute and kicked up his feet while his colleagues played in the background.

As Alice and Jim stepped forward through the thin crowd the man with the flute suddenly bounced over. He said nothing, just took Alice's hand and led her forward.

"Oh, I don't really…" Alice blushed as he danced around in front of her, the music getting faster. The man paused in playing his flute and demonstrated a move, expecting her to follow. Alice hesitated before copying the dance move. The man pulled another one and Alice followed. Jim smiled as he watched her soon spinning about next to the man playing the flute.

"Come on, Jim!" Alice cried, feeling overwhelmed with the empowering music and dance. She had never danced, and never so publically, but Alice realized dancing didn't take much skill at all. All she had to do was move the way the rhythm of the music did.

"Nah I'm – oh okay," Jim gasped as Alice grabbed his hand and pulled him forward. More people began to gather as Jim took Alice's hand and spun her around, linking arms with her as they laughed and danced about. Alice eventually began to pull more civilians into the dance until almost everyone was dancing to the music. The musicians were going wild as Jim dipped Alice back before pulling her up and they twirled around.

The two of them laughed, feeling exhilarated. Jim couldn't remember a time he had been so happy. He felt the weight of the world lifting off his chest. Even as the song ended and people applauded or tossed coins to the performers, Jim couldn't wipe away his silly expression.

"Uh, we should probably be heading back," he smiled, picking up the potted plant they'd set aside.

"Probably," Alice agreed grinning as well. Alice held the plant under her arm and linked the other with Jim's while the two of them picked up a lively conversation on their way home. As Jim and Alice headed farther down the winding streets a group of boys ahead suddenly caught Jim's attention. His stomach twisted in silent dread. He knew all too well that the boys ahead of him meant trouble.

"Uh, Alice?" he asked as the boys drew closer.

"What?"

"Another road, might be a better idea."

"But –"

"Never mind," Jim whispered urgently as the boys were within earshot now. Before Jim left for the voyage to Treasure Planet, it was not uncommon for him to pick fights in school nor uncommon for the other kids to bully him. Jim couldn't remember a time someone had not picked on him, thrown food at him, swung a punch at him, spit a spitball at the back of his neck. But out of all the kids who thought he was the town juvenile delinquent, Robert was the worst of them all. He never gave up the opportunity to harass Jim in some way or another. And when Jim fought back it usually ended with another detention and a letter sent home to his mother.

These memories coursed through Jim's brain as he lowered his head and hunched his shoulders. Alice saw his reaction as the boys headed past, accidentally knocking shoulders with Jim.

"Hey watch it!" one boy snarled. He was a great deal bigger than Jim with a pudgy face and a mean expression. His eyebrows knit together when Jim pushed Alice forward, trying to get her to keep walking. "Hey, I'm talkin' to you!" the boy shouted, reaching out and catching Jim's shoulder in a vice-like grip. Alice and Jim stopped as the boy wheeled Jim around.

Jim's hope disintegrated on the spot.

It was Robert.

When the group of boys saw who it was their eyes widened. Robert released a condescending laugh.

"Hey, here's lil' Slim Jim! You guys remember Slim, don'tcha?" The boys snickered, staring at Jim who glared in return.

"My name is Jim, not Slim Jim, Rob the Slob," he shot back. Robert looked down at Jim with an irate expression.

"When was the last time we taught you manners, Slim?" Robert sneered, giving Jim a push.

"Ha!" Jim laughed sarcastically. "Ha-ha-ha! That's a good one, Slob. _You_ teach _me_ manners? Cute, but why don't you learn to wipe your butt before you give me a lesson!"

Jim had no time to defend himself. Robert's punch was as fast as lightning and as accurate as the center of a target.

"Jim!" Alice gasped, seeing him now on the ground clutching his bloody nose.

"Uhn, no, I'm okay, Alice. I'm fine," he argued as she helped him to his feet and Jim pinched his bloody nose.

"Gonna stand behind your girlfriend, Slim?" Rob snickered. Jim made to go after him when Alice stopped him and held him back.

"Jim, don't! He's not worth it," she said quietly. Jim gave Alice a look before he released a pent up breath of air and gave a curt nod.

"Who cares if you found Treasure Planet? I bet you made the whole thing up!" Robert called after them as Jim and Alice turned to go, but Jim continued walking, pinching his nose as Alice kept her hand on his back, leading him away.

"Who was that?" she asked once they were in sight of Delbert's house.

"Just a kid at my old school," Jim shrugged. "Please don't tell my mom about this."

"I won't if you don't throw tinder on the fire next time," she replied. Jim gave her a weak smile. Things really had changed for the better in his life. He didn't want to fall into his old habits, and thanks to Alice, Jim knew he wouldn't.

"Agreed."

**A/N: You know I originally wanted to name the bully Nick, but too many bad words rhymed with Nick, so I decided to do Rob and keep it in the heart of Disney lol. The reason Jim is called Slim is because he shorter and skinnier than the other boys. But he eventually gets taller. And the necklace is important everyone! So keep that in mind! **

**Hope this was enough drama to hold you off until the next chapter! Only one more to go! **

**I've been trying to design a beginning chapter for the second book: The Eternity Star will be coming after I'm finished with this book, but I just cannot think of a very good beginning. You guys will have to tell me if you like the beginning when I post it after this story. **

**Thanks to everyone who is reading this story! :D**

**Redfox-akatsuki, Zutarafan14, PartofYourWorld-ArielMermaid, and Jess036! **

**Once again, check out PrincessEmber1111's story and leave a review, she'd really appreciate that. Just type in her username on !**


	20. Welcome to the Academy

_**Chapter 19**_

_**Welcome to the Academy**_

"Entrance exams?" Alice squeaked, staring at Amelia. "Entrance exams! But you sent them a letter of recommendation, why do we need to take exams before school even starts?"

Amelia sighed. It was midafternoon on August 17th, a week after Jim's sixteenth birthday, July 10th. The feline had been released from the hospital sometime in July and since she had not been called upon to set sail again, she was currently living with Delbert who had offered her a room since she had nowhere else to stay. As soon as the captain had left the hospital she had written one very outstanding letter of recommendation for Jim and Alice that went something like this:

_To: Admiral Bruce T. Bluedwarf III, Royal Galactic Navy_

_Re: Recommendation for James P. Hawkins and Miss Alice for entrance into the ISA._

_Dear Admiral Bluedwarf:_

_It is with distinct pleasure that I recommend Mr. James Pleiades Hawkins and Miss Alice (An orphan now under the care of Mr. Hawkins' mother via Warden Papers) for entrance into the Interstellar Academy. On my most recent voyage, both Miss Alice and Mr. Hawkins came aboard as cabin kids. During their tenure in stated positions, they performed their chores dutifully and admirably._

_Unfortunately, severe problems surfaced. The crew turned out to be nothing more than a group of snarling pirates. A vicious mutiny ensued._

_During the struggle the struggle against the pirates both Mr. Hawkins and Miss Alice acted with the utmost bravery and intelligence. They battled with skill and determination, despite the fact that we were greatly outnumbered by our foes._

_Moreover, Miss Alice's and Mr. Hawkins' quick thinking, resourcefulness, and natural gifts as spacers saved the day. Particularly Mr. Hawkins' piloting of a solar surfer on the spot demonstrated not only very impressive engineering skills, but also an astounding aptitude for all things nautical._

_During the voyage Miss Alice also not only expressed a pleasing eagerness to learn and achieve new heights, but she is also quite talented in the craft of reading, writing, and accepting orders without complaint or hesitation. This dedication to spacing and enthusiasm to pursue her goal wholeheartedly, will, hopefully, one day ensure her a high position on a ship as well as Mr. Hawkins._

_Never in my long and distinguished career have I encountered two youths with such potential and character. Jim and Alice will surely make an outstanding addition to the student body at the Academy. Mr. Hawkins will, without a doubt, make a fine captain in the future. Miss Alice most certainly will be a loyal spacer of strong naval fleet one day as well._

_Please contact me if you have any questions._

_Sincerely,_

_Captain Amelia_

_ISA Class of 005_

Alice and Jim had both been quite surprised to receive such a glowing review from their uptight Captain, and after some research that had to be dug up about Alice's boarding school, within the week Admiral Bluedwarf had returned a letter stating that he and Principal Coleman would be delighted to accept the two teenagers.

"Yes, Alice, entrance exams," Amelia continued. "Every student must go through this. It is mandatory. The letter of recommendation can only get you so far, the exams allow the school to see how resourceful you are. They may also determine how quick you think, or how well you work in certain situations. This displays an outline of the best courses for you to take which will help you reach a more advanced position in the art of spacing," she concluded.

"But what if I fail? What if something goes wrong? What if they don't want me?" Alice asked.

"Alice, I can assure you the exams are nothing to worry about. Simply complete them honestly, just as a noble spacer would do, and you should have no problems."

Alice still looked agitated, but she relaxed her stance in Delbert's sitting room. Jim was leaning over the back of one of the fireside chairs. He had been silent ever since Amelia had given them the news, but contemplative. He wondered what courses he'd be taking and was curious about the exams.

"When do we leave, then?" he finally asked.

"August 24th. I'll have some of the police escort the two of you safely to Crescentia where you'll find the Intergalactic Administrations Office and take your tests," Amelia replied. Jim looked at Alice who was biting her lip.

"But isn't the Benbow scheduled to be reopened that day?"

"Yes, but the exams should be over late afternoon. You should return by at least seven o'clock, just in time for the grand reopening. You'll either be dressed in your new cadet uniforms or you won't. Sooner or later we shall see," Amelia explained, allowing them to be dismissed as they left the room, both teenagers talking excitedly about the coming week.

* * *

Rich golden sunlight streamed in through a crack of the curtains and spread across the floor, illuminating the edge of the bed. It was August the 24th; the day of the entrance exams had come at last. Jim sighed, turning over in his sleep, enjoying the dream he was having.

His peaceful sleep didn't last long.

"Rise and shine, Jimmy!" B.E.N cried, banging open the door. Jim groaned and turned over, pulling the bed sheets over his head.

"Get up! Get up!" Morph squeaked, buzzing over and sliding under the bed sheets, tickling Jim's side. The boy jumped up with a yelp right as B.E.N threw the curtains back, temporarily blinding Jim as the morning sun hit his face.

"Agh! B.E.N! Morph!" he roared. Morph turned into a hand as he high-fived B.E.N. The two had gotten very good at waking Jim up in the morning.

"But Jimmy, today's the big day," B.E.N said as Jim curled up back underneath the blankets. The boy mumbled something in return which B.E.N didn't catch. "You're supposed to be up by now. The police are going to be here in twenty minutes and your mom –"

"What?" Jim gasped, sitting bolt upright and tumbling out of bed as he searched for clean clothes, still drowsy and unstable. "B.E.N! Why didn't you wake me earlier?" he demanded, tripping as he pulled on a pair of clean pants.

"Earlier! Earlier!" Morph sang, obviously enjoying the morning excitement.

"Well, I tell you, Jimmy, you're a hard one to wake and your mom said I could let you rest a bit more and time slipped away," B.E.N replied. Jim pulled off his pajama shirt, tugging on a light blue shirt instead and securing a belt around his waist.

"Is Alice up?" he asked.

"Right here, Jim," she said, walking into the room.

"You ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be. Your mom has breakfast downstairs." Jim hurriedly brushed his teeth and flattened his hair. He'd gotten it cut a few days earlier to be more presentable. His bangs had been so long, and Amelia didn't think the Interstellar would like his braid. He didn't mind the new haircut. He had been tying his hair back and letting it grow out ever since his father left. He'd even taken out the earring.

Jim looked at himself in the bathroom mirror as Alice leaned against the doorframe. He rather liked his new haircut. His bangs were now little stubby ends that tickled his forehead instead of covering his eyes and it began to shape naturally around his head so he didn't have a shaved spot near the back where his braid used to be.

Alice had gotten a haircut too since her hair and begun to stretch down her lower back. Now her hair was just longer than her shoulder blades and cut to frame her face similar to when Jim had first met her.

Eventually, though, Alice had to drag Jim out of the bathroom because he wouldn't stop trying to smooth out wrinkles in his shirt or push back his hair to be more presentable to the Academy. They enjoyed a wholesome breakfast cooked by Amelia and Mrs. Hawkins. It shocked Jim and Alice to think Amelia could actually cook.

Once the breakfast was over Jim and Alice were given many 'good lucks' and hugs before the robot constables arrived and accompanied them to Crescentia. Jim felt rather uncomfortable with the two cops on either side of him since it reminded him so much of all the times he used to get in trouble, but with Alice along, the trip was shorter than he expected.

The couple was escorted into a colossal dome shaped building Jim had noticed when he visited Montressor's spaceport for the first time. The dome was a bronze color while stain glass windows stretched all around the circular building casting an array of multicolored lighting. Two looming oak doors stood in front of Jim and Alice with a gold-plated engraving above the door that said: Intergalactic Administrations Office.

Jim and Alice let out little breaths of excitement as they were led into a bustling room. There were desks set up near the very back of the red carpeted building with pencils and sheets of paper Jim assumed were the tests. Kids of all shape, size, and age stood in lines, while instructors read off their names and told them where to sit. Jim was shunted into a line of all boys while Alice was led to a line of all girls. She looked uncomfortable, but kept still and did as she was told.

As the line gradually condensed Jim suddenly felt someone tap his shoulder. He turned around and spotted a tall lanky boy with bird like qualities.

"Hey, I know you," the boy grinned through his blue beak-like mouth. "You're that Hawkins kid who found Treasure Planet!"

"Oh, you can just call me –"

"What? No, It can't be," another boy interrupted. He had a military black haircut with dark skin and a devilish smile. Compared to most of the other boys in line, he was quite short. "Zeus almighty! It is him," the boy exclaimed, upon examining Jim further. Jim jumped when the dark skinned boy skipped ahead of the bird and began poking and scrutinizing him. "Man, he doesn't look like much," the boy complained, squeezing Jim's scrawny arm.

"Cut it out, Raymond, give the guy a break," the bird boy scolded, pushing Raymond back in line. Turning to Jim he leaned in and whispered, "He's a bit of a nuisance sometimes."

"I heard that!" Raymond complained. Jim took another step forward as the line shifted.

"By the way, the name's Raymond, but you can just call me Ray. A little about myself? I'm a chick magnet; you want a girlfriend, I'll hook you up so fast you'll be making out before you have time to blink my friend," Ray winked. Jim cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Actually, I already have a girlfriend," he explained.

"Alice, wasn't it?" the bird boy asked, tugging on one of his feathers.

"Yeah," Jim smiled.

"Is she here too? Oh, and by the way my name's Douglass, but you can just call me Doug." Jim shook his white feathered hand, trying not to pluck the boy.

"She's right over there," Jim explained, pointing to Alice who was making friends as well. Ray whistled.

"Dang, Hawkins, she's pretty!" Doug smacked Ray over the head making the boy cry out in frustration. "Come on, man! Can't a guy compliment a girl?"

"Not if that girl is someone else's mate," Doug grumbled, rolling his eyes. Jim laughed.

"Mate? You mean girlfriend?" Doug stared at Jim as Ray intervened.

"Doug comes from a planet where they call dating mating," he explained. Doug's beak turned red from embarrassment.

"It's not any different. The words are practically the same," he huffed. Jim was about to respond when he heard his name called.

"Hawkins, James." Doug and Ray both gave him a thumb's up as he wandered up to the man sitting behind the large desk with a list of names in front of him.

"Here, Sir," Jim said as the man adjusted his glasses and looked down at him.

"Open your mouth, Mr. Hawkins, and say 'ah'." Jim's brow creased but he opened his mouth and did as he was told. The man leaned over the desk and tilted his head from side to side before shining a light in his eyes and checking his retinas.

The instructor then proceeded to check his ears before taking his hands and studying his palms.

"Excellent, please have a seat in desk sixteen, Mr. Hawkins," he concluded as Jim headed to desk sixteen and took a seat. He waited for a while in silent contemplation until everyone was seated and a tall woman strutted to the front of the room.

"Your tests have been handed out. There is to be no talking. If you have a question, need your pencil sharpened, or have completed you test, silently raise your hand and one of our instructors will be around to help you. You may begin."

Jim and Alice filled in the bubbles for each question with ease. After their experience on the Legacy and the many lessons they learned from Silver, the two found the test to be conveniently tranquil. Some questions Jim didn't quite understand, but he answered them to the best of his ability. It was nearing six o'clock when Jim finally closed his test booklet and raised his hand. An instructor headed toward him and stamped his book with an official looking seal.

"You may go wait near the doors, Mr. Hawkins, while I run this through the slot machine," the lady whispered. Jim nodded and rose from his seat as he waited by the front doors with some other students who had finished. He saw Alice finish soon after with Doug and Ray not far behind. The three of them joined him back at the door.

"What's the slot machine?" Alice asked once she had been introduced to Jim's new friends.

"It's where all the answers are," Ray explained in a low voice. "Man if you could hack that thing, you'd never have to worry about another test – ow! Hey!" Doug had given Ray another smack with his wing causing the boy to scowl.

"You can't hack the slot machine, and it's not like they hold answers to all the tests in the galaxy. They are reprogramed with the answers for every new test. The instructors just run your booklet through the machine and it grades it all mechanically," Doug elaborated. Jim watched as some instructors came out of a side room with test results.

Some kids were given new uniforms while others were turned away because they did not pass.

"How do you guys think you did?" he asked, trying to swallow his agitation.

"I totally passed," Ray boasted. "How could I not? My dad has been teaching me about ships since I was a kid!"

"I'm sure I did adequate," Doug replied modestly. "My uncle was a spacer, and he was the one that thought I should try and get into the Academy."

"What about you two? What made you want to join the Academy?" Ray asked. Jim and Alice shared a look.

"I don't have parents, if that's what you're wondering," Alice replied.

"I have my mom, but my dad abandoned us when I was eight," Jim added.

"Ouch," Ray grunted and ducked as Doug swung at him again.

"We were actually recommended by Captain Amelia," Alice said, trying to change the subject.

"Captain Amelia, where have I heard that name?" Doug wondered aloud.

"She goes by Captain Smollet in the papers," Jim clarified.

"That's it!" Doug grinned, trying to snap his feather-like fingers but his attempt was unsuccessful. "Smollet, eh? I heard she was a great naval captain, and she was the one that captained the Legacy on your voyage, right?"

"Correct," Alice smiled.

"Wish I could have met her," Ray sighed dreamily. "I hear she's all that and a bag of chips." Jim, Doug, and Alice laughed. Their conversations continued like so when at last an instructor walked over, carrying a stack of uniforms and test booklets.

"Vance, Douglass?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Congratulations. You have been accepted. Start of term begins September first," the lady smiled and handed him his uniform and booklet.

"Wow!" Doug grinned, taking his uniform.

"Miss Alice?"

"Yes?" Alice squeaked out. The woman smiled.

"Congratulations." Alice took her new uniform reverently as a smile spread across her face.

"Peters, Raymond?"

"I'm listening," Ray responded.

"Congrats." Jim watched as all of his friends were handed uniforms. Only one remained in the lady's arms, but for a moment Jim feared it was for someone else.

"Hawkins, James?"

"That's me."

"Here is your uniform, and once again, congratulations." Jim took his uniform, his hands shaking with relief, as he and the others high-fived and congratulated each other on their success.

"Well Doug and I should get going, I'll see you two at the Academy," Ray hooted and headed out the doors. Doug gave them a more formal goodbye before leaving with Ray. Jim turned to Alice who immediately threw her arms around him.

"Jim, we're going to the Academy!" she exclaimed, bouncing up and down. Jim laughed and hugged her back as they pulled away.

"What do you say we surprise everyone back at the inn by changing into our uniforms?" he suggested.

"I think that would be a spectacular idea."

* * *

The inn looked even bigger and better than before. There were now four stories to it with rooms galore. Jim and Mrs. Hawkins had a sitting room on the second floor with their bedrooms and own powder room connected. They hadn't told Alice yet, but she too had been given her own room next to Jim and his mother's. Mrs. Hawkins had learned a lot more about Alice over the past few months and thought it appropriate to give her a room as well.

The kitchen and dining area was larger as well and Mrs. Hawkins was even able to hire more helping hands instead of just her and Jim like it once was. There was a sitting room off the dining room with a side door leading out into the garden that was filled with lush green grass, flowers of every color, and even a small white gazebo.

All in all Sarah Hawkins was thrilled at the grand reopening and hosted a party that night with many Benbowians to celebrate. B.E.N wore a chef's hat as he passed pieces of cake around to all the guests. Morph entertained the children that had come, Delbert and Amelia conversed quietly but respectively in a corner, and Sarah chatted with some of the lady folk in town.

The party was progressing wonderfully, which is why everyone was surprised when the front door banged open revealing two police officers. Sarah held her breath, recalling the many times her son had gotten in trouble with the law. The whole inn went quiet for a moment before the police officers rolled aside to reveal Jim and Alice standing in the doorway. Both of them were smiling as they puffed out their chests to reveal their brand new Academy uniforms.

Both uniforms were pearl white with a gold trim and buttons on the jackets covering their white undershirts. The only difference was Alice's long white skirt compared to Jim's white pants tucked into tall black boots.

The crowd cheered at the sight as Jim and Alice were soon bombarded with hugs and congratulations. The two of them laughed as Mrs. Dunwiddie, a regular at the inn, picked up her instruments and used her tentacles to begin playing an upbeat song. Jim looked at Alice with a playful smirk and bowed.

Alice curtsied as he took her hand and spun her out onto the floor, linking arms with her as they danced through rows of people also swaying to the music. The couple couldn't contain their delighted expressions as Jim spun Alice around, dipping her back occasionally just to tease her.

As the two of them spun off to the side, Delbert led Amelia forward. Jim and Alice clapped with the other customers who cheered as they watched the Doctor and Captain take the floor together. Jim asked his mother for a dance and Alice laughed as B.E.N threw off his chef's hat and began spinning around, doing his own peculiar dance.

Everything felt right, and Alice couldn't help but peek out the window, up toward the stars. If only Silver were there to celebrate with them. As if the heavens were reassuring her, Alice could've sworn she saw Silver's smiling face projected in the clouds far above in the starry night sky.

Jim found her there, staring at the sky in a silent reminisce.

"I miss him," Alice whispered.

"Me too," Jim sighed, following her gaze. For a moment they were quiet. "But I think he's up there somewhere, thinking about us," Jim said, sliding his hand into Alice's. She gave it a light squeeze.

"I _know_ he's up there thinking about us," she smiled. The two of them leaned in and shared a quick kiss right before B.E.N interrupted them, begging them to continue dancing.

"What do you say, Alice? Up for another dance?" Jim wiggled his eyebrows, always keeping that playful smirk on his face. For a moment Alice recalled the first time she'd bumped into him at the spaceport. If only she'd known how drastically her life would change after she first met Jim.

The girl smiled, forgetting about every worry she'd ever had and reveling in the moment.

"I say let's go for it," she laughed, allowing Jim to lead her forward. "After all," she chuckled as she met his blue gaze. So many things had changed since her days at her boarding school, but Alice didn't mind one bit of it and vowed to remember it all. "It's our happily ever after."

"Just like a fairytale," Jim smiled.

"The first page in a book," Alice added.

"A whole new beginning."

The End

**A/N: That's it guys, the end, but is it?**

**NO! **

**Haha! You didn't think I would just end it there, did you? Nah, because like I mentioned earlier there is a lot more coming. It's time to set foot in the next chapter of Jim and Alice's adventures. I'll get the first chapter out quicker than this one, sorry about the wait by the way. School=bleh. **

**The next book I'll be writing in Jim and Alice's tale is called ****The Eternity Star****, so keep a watchful eye out for updates! :D **

**I had a lot of fun writing about Douglass and Raymond, they'll play a bigger role in the upcoming books. Yes, books. Plural. There'll be more than just the Eternity Star! Muahahaha! (random evil laugh…okay)**

**Also the letter of recomendation was taken from a book I have called Jim's Journal, so I take no credit for that writing (except the parts I added in about Alice)**

**Thanks to all of my readers and reviewers! You guys are just so dang awesome! Check out PartofYourWorld-ArielMermaid's edited and revamped story! **

**Also, my sister drew an amazing drawing of a cover page for A New Beginning. It shows Alice, Jim, and a silhouette of Silver on the front, it's freaking awesome! Look me up on Deviantart by searching Eventhorizon6!**

**Finally onto my many thanks!**

**Thanks to: Jess036, redfox-akatsuki, Zutarafan14, xPoppyx, lazyx1000, SmileyBlackCat, and PartofYourWorld-ArielMermaid**

**You guys have no idea how much you mean to me and how you help me become a better writer! So enjoy and keep your eyes peeled for the sequel: The Eternity Star! :D**


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